Diagnosis and treatment of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma (report of 32 cases)

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma.Methods A retrospective analysis of 32 patients with extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma was carried out.The tumor was located at the paraaortic region in 26 cases and the bladder in 6 cases.29 cases had high blood catecholamine.Urinary Vanilly-mandelic acid (VMA)was the best marker with a positive sensitivity rate of 70.8%.The accurate localization rate of the tumors was 96% by CT,and 83.3% by MRI.Results Open excision of tumor was carried out in 32 cases.The diagnosis of all cases was confirmed by pathologic studies.Operative therapy was successful in all cases.Conclusion The procedures of qualitative and locative diagnosis of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma include clinical manifestations,urinary VMA assessment and imaging investigation.The prevention and correct management of operative complication is important.The diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytoma depends much on close clinical follow-up.