Abstract

From 1969 through 1989, 16 patients underwent operations for pheochromocytoma in Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Department of General Surgery. 5 patients (31%) were found to have extra-adrenal paragangliomas, while 1 patient (6%) has multicentric pheochromrcytoma. Determination of urinary vanillylmandelic acid, metanephrines and plasma catecholamines were sensitive diagnostic aids with acurracy rates of 100%. Computed tomography was found to be the most sensitive method for preoperative localization of the tumor, in preoperative management all patients received alpha-adrenergic blockade and most of them (81%) also received beta-adrenergic blockade. All the patients were operated on through transabdominal approach and there were no operative mortality. 16 patients were followed for 6 months to 10 years in the postoperative period and no recurrence was seen.