Phaeochromocytoma: experience from a referral hospital in southern India

Abstract

Background: Phaeochromocytoma has been traditionally called the 'Tumour of Tens'. Many investigators have reported the prevalence of extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma to be more than 10%.

Methods: All consecutive adult patients diagnosed to have phaeochromocytoma by the departments of endocrinology and surgical endocrinology of the Christian Medical Hospital, India, over a period of 10 years from 1988 to 1998, were included in the study.

Results: A total of 30 patients were diagnosed to have phaeochromocytoma. Extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma accounted for 26.6% of cases, Ten per cent of cases were bilateral, 6.6% were malignant and one patient had a familial tumour (multiple endocrine neoplasia IIB). The tumours were localized pre-operatively in all patients. Multicentric extra-adrenal tumours were not found in this series. All patients except one were explored by the anterior transperitoneal approach. Persistent hypertension was noted in 30% of patients.

Conclusions: Our series shows a higher prevalence (26.6%) of extra-adrenal tumours than the traditionally described 10%. With accurate pre-operative localization, a transperitoneal approach may not be necessary. The laparoscopic approach needs to be evaluated in light of these findings.