Document Detail


Posttraumatic hypertension secondary to adrenal hemorrhage mimicking pheochromocytoma: case report.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  10338428     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We report the case of a 68-year-old man who presented with a mass 3 x 4 cm in size located in the right adrenal gland together with extreme hypertension, tripled urine levels for normetanephrine, and normal plasmatic levels of metanephrines. The patient had suffered a fall from a height of 2.5 meters before hospitalization. [123I]MIBG-scan was repeatedly positive in the area of the right adrenal gland. At laparotomy under alpha-adrenergic blocking agents, the suspected pheochromocytoma was histologically confirmed as hematoma. After resection of the adrenal gland, blood pressure returned to normal without drug therapy as did metanephrine levels in urine. Although adrenal insufficiency after distension of the gland caused by hemorrhage has been reported, there are no data available regarding the mimicking of a hormonally active pheochromocytoma. We conclude that intra-adrenal pressure rise caused by hematoma may cause partial ischemic necrosis to the gland but may also induce reactive hyperplasia with periodic excessive secretion of catecholamines. This interpretation is consistent with the finding that plasma levels of catecholamines were normal in contrast to the urinary normetanephrines in the presented case. It might be worthwhile to investigate patients with intra-adrenal hemorrhage immediately after sustaining multiple injuries and in the posttraumatic course of several months up to 1 or more years together with verification of abnormal urinary excretion of metanephrines as a sign of impaired adrenal function.
Authors:
J Schmidt; V D Mohr; P Metzger; H Zirngibl
Related Documents :
7485478 - Determinants of cardiac fibrosis in experimental hypermineralocorticoid states.
10220638 - High-dose enoximone to evaluate reversibility of pulmonary hypertension: is there a dia...
6242558 - Antihypertensive and aldosterone-lowering effects of synthetic atrial natriuretic facto...
15854148 - The 'body fluid pressure control system' relies on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone sy...
20702798 - Adenoviral inhibition of at1a receptors in the paraventricular nucleus inhibits acute i...
491328 - A case of water hemlock poisoning.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of trauma     Volume:  46     ISSN:  0022-5282     ISO Abbreviation:  J Trauma     Publication Date:  1999 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1999-06-08     Completed Date:  1999-06-08     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0376373     Medline TA:  J Trauma     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  973-5     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, University Witten-Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany. johannes.schmidt@klinikum-wuppertal.de
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adrenal Gland Diseases / diagnosis*
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Adrenal Glands / injuries*
Aged
Diagnosis, Differential
Hemorrhage / diagnosis*,  etiology
Humans
Hypertension / etiology*
Male
Pheochromocytoma / diagnosis*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Staged operative treatment in a septic patient with an infected, unstable pelvis, and a missed bladd...
Next Document:  Characteristics of detrusor contractility during micturition in diabetics.