Pheochromocytoma is a tumor which secretes catecholamine and produces remarkable hemodynamic changes during the perioperative period. It is reported that in cases where a patient with undiagnosed pheochromocytoma is operated on, the mortality rate can reach 25% to 50%. The subject in this study was a 55-year-old female patient who was diagnosed having a retroperitoneal mass which looked like a neurogenic tumor. During the manipulation, serious hypertension and tachycardia were developed. The authors at that time suspected a pheochromocytoma, interrupted the operation, and after insertion of arterial line and sodium nitroprusside infusion, the rest of the operation was restarted. After the extirpation of the tumor, as the patient suffered serious hypotension, the concentration of the inhalation agent was reduced, ephedrine was injected, the proper amount of fluid and blood were administered, and, as a result, the operation was carried out safely, and postoperative course was unremarkable.
Ephedrine ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Inhalation ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Nitroprusside ; Perioperative Period ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Tachycardia ; Vascular Access Devices