Pheochromocytoma with nonspecific aortoarteritis: An unusual association

Abstract

Pheochromocytomas have been described to be associated with rare vascular abnormalities, most common of them being renal artery stenosis. A 40-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the complaints of headache, sweating, anxiety, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and severe hypertension. Examination revealed absent carotid and upper-limb pulses with an intact lower-limb pulse. Abdominal computed tomography revealed the presence of a left adrenal pheochromocytoma. An aortogram showed total occlusion of the aortic arch arteries. the Pheochromocytoma was surgically removed, and the patient was then administered steroid treatment for arteritis. To the best of our knowledge, the occurrence of pheochromocytoma along with aortoarteritis has not been reported thus far. The possible mechanisms underlying such an involvement have been discussed in this study. © 2011 Kowsar M. P. Co. All rights reserved.