Pheochromocytoma surgery

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmad Al Maradni, M.D. [2] Mohammed Abdelwahed M.D[3]

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for pheochromocytoma. Adrenalectomy, laparoscopic transabdominal and retroperitoneal approaches have been used successfully for non-metastatic abdominal pheochromocytomas.

• The mainstay of treatment for pheochromocytoma is surgery. Surgical resection is usually done for patients with either:
  • Benign localized tumor
  • Unilateral pheochromocytoma- Unilateral adrenalectomy
  • Bilateral pheochromocytomas- cortical-sparing adrenalectomy.^[1]

• Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for pheochromocytoma.

• Two approaches have been used successfully for non-metastatic abdominal pheochromocytomas:
  • Laparoscopic transabdominal
  • Retroperitoneal^[2]
• There are less complications associated with laparoscopic surgery than with open surgery.
• Major intraoperative complications include:
  • Intraoperative tumor capsule rupture
  • Hypertensive crisis
  • Myocardial infarctions
  • Cerebrovascular hemorrhages
  • Hemodynamic instability after tumor resection.
  • Hypoglycemia ^[3]
  • Severe hypotension ^[4]

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for pheochromocytoma, even if it is asymptomatic.