A Case of Adrenal Tumor Which Consisted of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide-producing Ganglioneuroma and Pheochromocytoma

Masatoshi Kadoya¹⁾²⁾, Hidehiko Kitagami¹⁾²⁾, Kenichi Teramoto¹⁾²⁾, Jyunichi Ikeda¹⁾, Doumei Sunaga¹⁾, Yorikatu Shinzato¹⁾, Tatukiti Ozawa¹⁾ and Hiroyuki Katou²⁾

¹⁾Department of Surgery, Kitami Red Cross Hospital, ²⁾Department of Surgical Oncology, Graduated School of Medicine, Hokkaido University

A 56-year-old woman with an adrenal tumor reported diarrhea, body weight loss, and facial flush. She was found by abdominal computed tomographic study at a nearby clinic to have hypopotassemia and an adrenal mass near the pancreas tail and was referred to our hospital. On admission, WDHA syndrome was suspected because of watery diarrhea, hypopotassemia, facial flush, and glucose intolerance. Arteriography revealed a hypervascular tumor in the left upper abdomen and selective blood sampling of the left adrenal vein revealed a remarkably high level of catecholamines and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), so we diagnosed a VIP-producing pheochromocytoma. The tumor, resected by left adrenalectomy, consisted of VIP-producing ganglioneuroma and pheochromocytoma by histological diagnosis. Symptoms improved dramatically after the surgery.

Key words
VIP producing ganglioneuroma, pheochromocytoma, WDHA syndrome

Reprint requests
Masatoshi Kadoya Department of Surgery, Kitami Red Cross Hospital, Kita 6 Jou, Higashi 2 Choume, Kitami City, 090-8666 JAPAN

Accepted
January 30, 2002

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