A Case Report of Pheochromocytoma in Pregnancy

Document Type : Case report

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

3 Resident of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is a common problem in pregnancy that can result maternal and fetal morbidity. The common causes include gestational hypertension, essential hypertension and preeclampsia. Although pheochromocytoma is a rare cause of hypertension in pregnancy, it can lead to life-threatening cardiovascular complications for mother and increases fetal mortality more than 58%, if undiagnosed and untreated. The prevalence of pheochromocytoma has been reported less than 0.2% per 10,000 pregnancies. The diagnosis is confirmed by measurement of catecholamine and their metabolites in serum and urinary in 24 hours and confirmed by radiological localization of tumor. Surgical resection of tumor after adequate preoperative control of hypertension by using sequential alpha and beta blockers is the definitive treatment. In pregnancy, the optimal time of surgery is during the late first or early second trimester. In higher gestational age, medical treatment followed by cesarean section combined tumor resection is recommended.
Case Report: This case report is a 34 years old woman with pheochromocytoma in her right adrenal gland tissue in late second trimester. After receiving adequate drug treatment for two weeks before surgery, the mother's right adrenal gland excised in the early third trimester (29th week) and the infant was delivered by cesarean section in gestational age of 40 weeks. Infant's weight, height and head circumference were normal.
Conclusion: In cases who pheochromocytoma is diagnosed in late second trimester or early third trimester, adrenal tissue can be excised and pregnancy can terminated at term.
 

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