Elective resection of pheochromocytoma with concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: report of a case.

We report a rare case of coexistent pheochromocytoma and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The patient was a 72-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department with severe dyspnea and hypertension. Physical examination revealed a pulsatile mass in his abdomen. A computed tomography scan, done after pharmacological treatment of his symptoms, showed a thoraco-AAA and a left adrenal mass. His urinary vanylmandelic acid and metanephrine levels were found to be elevated, strongly indicative of a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. We gave the patient phenoxybenzamine, an alpha-blocker, preoperatively, then resected the adrenal mass and repaired the AAA. The patient had an uneventful recovery. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was confirmed histologically. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of elective resection of both these lesions.