[Bilateral pheochromocytoma: laparoscopic surgery in 2 cases]

Abstract

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy, if done by skilled surgeons, is now the first choice for treating most adrenal tumors, including bilateral pheochromocytoma. We report two women, aged 35 and 34 years old, with bilateral adrenal pheochromocytoma successfully excised by laparoscopic surgery. Both had severe hypertension, high urinary catecholamine values (epinephrine + norepinephrine: 528 and 1083 ug/24 h) and bilateral adrenal tumors at CT scan. After 4 weeks of doxazosin treatment, a laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenalectomy was done (Gugner's technique), with surgical times of 7 and 5 hours respectively. Both patients received hydrocortisone and only the second one required one unit of packed cells. Postoperative evolution was uneventful and both patients were discharged at the fifth postoperative day. At two months of follow up, both patients are asymptomatic and normotensive.