Pheochromocytomatosis: a risk after pheochromocytoma surgery

The late implant cases of pheochromocytoma or iatrogenic pheochromocytomatosis in the abdominal cavity are not considered malignant because adjacent structures or distant metastases are not invaded. [...]as seen in previous cases, the intraoperative implantation of benign tumors has led to recurrence after years of follow-up, whatever the surgical ap- proach used.2 According to literature, if open surgery is carried on, pheochromocytoma recurrence is esti- mated among 6 to 8 per cent after 2 years of follow- up, although unknown in laparoscopic approach.2 The common factor in the two cases described was that during the first intervention, a difficult dissection was observed, with important manipulation and doubtful integrity of the tumor capsule during resection.3 The diagnosis of recurrence in both cases was pos- sible thanks to high metanephrine and catecholamine detection levels in urine, after some years of these levels measuring within normal parameters. [...]it should be appointed that surgery can re- veal lesions commonly with few millimeters in size that were not previously found throughout medical diagnosis or radiologic procedures.