Laparoscopic resection of an extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma

Abstract

Extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas are of rare occurrence. Since first reported laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the gold standard in the treatment of adrenal tumors, the feasibility of laparoscopic adrenalectomy in the setting of pheochromocytoma has also been established given a careful preoperative planning. Literature on the laparoscopic treatment of extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas is lacking. We report a hypertensive 54-year-old male patient (body mass index, 26.2) with elevated urinary catecholamines and a 6-cm solid mass under the right renal hilum diagnosed after a magnetic resonance. The patient underwent complete transperitoneal laparoscopic excision of the tumor. Recovery was uneventful and final histopathologic examination showed an extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma. We believe that transperitoneal laparoscopic excision of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma is a feasible and reproducible technique that allows for complete removal of tumoral tissue with low morbidity, shorter hospital stay, and minimal convalescence.