Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Pheochromocytomas are catecholamine producing tumors which arise from chromaffin cells within the adrenal medulla. Silent pheochromocytomas are rare entities that do not present with the classical symptoms commonly seen in catecholamine-secreting tumors.

Case report: We report a case of 70-year-old-woman patient who presented with left sided abdominal pain and discomfort for 6 months. A preoperative Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a huge left suprarenal tumor 09×112×153mm in size. The right adrenal gland was normal and there were no finding of distant metastatic. The urinary catecholamines were very elevated. The patient underwent a laparoscopic surgical resection without untoward intraoperative and postoperative events. In the pathological evaluation, the mass weighed 1137 g and showed a pheochromocytoma with a PASS score of 8. The patient is on long term follow up. She was well and completely asymptomatic at last review six months after surgery.

Conclusion: This case brings to the attention of clinicians the need to have a high index of suspicion of a giant pheochromocytoma in a patient presenting with vague abdominal symptoms whose CT scan shows a large retroperitoneal tumor, even in the absence of clinical symptoms.

Key-words: Pheochromocytoma-silent-giant tumor-surgery