Pheochromocytoma associated with pregnancy: case report and review of the literature. 1999

S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

We report on a young woman with pheochromocytoma associated with pregnancy and review 41 other cases reported in the literature from 1988 to 1997. This review reveals that the overall maternal mortality was 4 percent and the fetal loss 11 percent; antenatal diagnosis of pheochromocytoma reduced maternal mortality to 2 percent; however, fetal loss was 14 percent. Diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was made antepartum in 83 percent of the cases. Although pheochromocytoma associated with pregnancy is rare, a high index of clinical suspicion must be kept and all those at risk must be investigated to achieve an early diagnosis and improved outcome. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, alpha-adrenergic blockade is essential and beta-blockade may be required. Magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography scan may be used to localize the tumor during the antenatal period. In early pregnancy, i.e., before 24 weeks, both tumor resection and medical treatment are associated with good fetal outcome; in later pregnancy, elective cesarean delivery followed by tumor resection results in favorable maternal and fetal outcome. BACKGROUND Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. OBJECTIVE After completion of this article, the reader will be able to understand the clinical manifestations of a pheochromocytoma during pregnancy, how to make the diagnosis of a pheochromocytoma during pregnancy, and to know the medical and surgical management of a pheochromocytoma during pregnancy.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D008428 Maternal Mortality Maternal deaths resulting from complications of pregnancy and childbirth in a given population. Mortality, Maternal,Maternal Mortalities,Mortalities, Maternal
D010673 Pheochromocytoma A usually benign, well-encapsulated, lobular, vascular tumor of chromaffin tissue of the ADRENAL MEDULLA or sympathetic paraganglia. The cardinal symptom, reflecting the increased secretion of EPINEPHRINE and NOREPINEPHRINE, is HYPERTENSION, which may be persistent or intermittent. During severe attacks, there may be HEADACHE; SWEATING, palpitation, apprehension, TREMOR; PALLOR or FLUSHING of the face, NAUSEA and VOMITING, pain in the CHEST and ABDOMEN, and paresthesias of the extremities. The incidence of malignancy is as low as 5% but the pathologic distinction between benign and malignant pheochromocytomas is not clear. (Dorland, 27th ed; DeVita Jr et al., Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 3d ed, p1298) Pheochromocytoma, Extra-Adrenal,Extra-Adrenal Pheochromocytoma,Extra-Adrenal Pheochromocytomas,Pheochromocytoma, Extra Adrenal,Pheochromocytomas,Pheochromocytomas, Extra-Adrenal
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011252 Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic The co-occurrence of pregnancy and NEOPLASMS. The neoplastic disease may precede or follow FERTILIZATION. Complications, Neoplastic Pregnancy,Neoplastic Pregnancy Complications,Pregnancy, Neoplastic Complications,Complication, Neoplastic Pregnancy,Neoplastic Pregnancy Complication,Pregnancies, Neoplastic Complications,Pregnancy Complication, Neoplastic
D011256 Pregnancy Outcome Results of conception and ensuing pregnancy, including LIVE BIRTH; STILLBIRTH; or SPONTANEOUS ABORTION. The outcome may follow natural or artificial insemination or any of the various ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUES, such as EMBRYO TRANSFER or FERTILIZATION IN VITRO. Outcome, Pregnancy,Outcomes, Pregnancy,Pregnancy Outcomes
D011379 Prognosis A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations. Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260 Female Females
D005313 Fetal Death Death of the developing young in utero. BIRTH of a dead FETUS is STILLBIRTH. Fetal Mummification,Fetal Demise,Death, Fetal,Deaths, Fetal,Demise, Fetal,Fetal Deaths,Mummification, Fetal

Related Publications

S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
April 1995, Obstetrical & gynecological survey,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
April 1985, Nihon Naika Gakkai zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
February 1986, Endocrinologia japonica,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
October 1998, Journal de gynecologie, obstetrique et biologie de la reproduction,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
June 2010, Obstetric medicine,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
October 2017, Annales d'endocrinologie,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
August 2000, Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
July 2013, Journal of forensic sciences,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
April 2001, World journal of urology,
S K Ahlawat, and S Jain, and S Kumari, and S Varma, and B K Sharma
April 1988, Surgery,
Copied contents to your clipboard!