Case report
Preoperative Embolization Followed by Surgical Excision of an Intrapericardial Pheochromocytoma

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2006.05.100Get rights and content

A teenager with palpitations and hypertension was found to have an intrapericardial pheochromocytoma of the left atrium with multiple feeding collaterals. Radiologic embolization was carried out on the major feeding arteries to the tumor preoperatively with good angiographic result. Surgery was carried out the following day through a median sternotomy approach and cardiopulmonary bypass. Minimal bleeding was observed due to prior embolization. The patient made a rapid postoperative recovery and was discharged 7 days later.

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Comment

Cardiac pheochromocytomas are rare tumors [2, 3]. They arise from coronary or visceral autonomic paraganglia of the atria. Based on clinical history they are diagnosed on biochemical evidence of hypercatecholaminemia. To locate all tumor foci, scanning with radio-iodinated iodine-131-meta-iodobenzylguanidine is reported to be the best modality with alternatives being octreotide and technetium (99mTc). Additional computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging assists in showing precise

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