Korean J Intern Med.  1998 Jul;13(2):117-122.

Pheochromocytoma complicated with cardiomyopathy after delivery--a case report and literature review

• Kim HJ
• Kim DK
• Lee SC
• Yang SH
• Yang JH
• Lee WR

Abstract

Pheochromocytoma in pregnancy is very rare but it is associated with very high maternal and fetal mortality. Therefore, it is important to include pheochromocytoma in the differential diagnosis of hypertension associated with pregnancy. It is difficult to make a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma in pregnancy before delivery. The characteristic symptoms of pheochromocytoma could be initiated during delivery because the process of delivery, general anesthesia, fetal movement, induce acute surge of catecholamine release, which could also induce cardiomyopathy. Early diagnosis and intensive care can affect the prognosis of cardiomyopathy induced by pheochromocytoma. Proper management with alpha-blockade, beta-blockade and angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor could acutely reverse the course of cardiomyopathy.

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/surgery
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/diagnosis*
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms/complications
Adult
Cardiovascular Agents/therapeutic use
Disease-Free Survival
Echocardiography
Electrocardiography
Female
Human
Myocardial Diseases/ultrasonography
Myocardial Diseases/etiology*
Myocardial Diseases/drug therapy
Pheochromocytoma/surgery
Pheochromocytoma/diagnosis*
Pheochromocytoma/complications
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular/etiology*
Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/surgery
Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/diagnosis*
Pregnancy Outcome*
Puerperium
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Substances: Cardiovascular Agents