Catastrophic hemorrhage of adrenal pheochromocytoma following thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction: Case report and literature review

Abstract

We describe here the case of a 62-year-old man with acute abdominal syndrome and severe hemorrhagic shock following successful thrombolysis for acute cardiac infarction. Emergency surgical exploration revealed extensive intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal hemorrhage resulting from the rupture of a large adrenal tumor. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was confirmed by histological findings. The patient died a few hours after surgery from multiorgan failure despite resuscitation attempts. This report discusses the diagnosis difficulties, treatment approach, and relevant literature.