Pheochromocytoma during Childhood – a Case Report

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor during childhood, originating from the chromafine tissue. According to literature its frequency is approximately 1/100 000. Its clinical manifestation is with signs of catecholamine excess: hypertension, heartbeat, headache, sweating, nausea, vomiting, trembling, weakness, irritation, abdominal and chest pain, dyspnea, red warm face, constipation, polyuria, polydipsia. These symptoms can be observed every day in severe disease or rarely. The clinical manifestation can be variable and assembling many other diseases, so the pheochromocytoma is called “the Great imitator”. We are presenting a case a 15 years old girl, hospitalized for hypertonic crisis. After the clinical, paraclinical investigations and image test was proved that this was a pheochromocytoma. The surgical intervention was held in planned order. During the following months the blood pressure became normal and the hypertension treatment was ceased. The possibility of relapses of the tumor necessitates the following of the child for the next years.