Zeng SY, Wu HH, Yu ZH, Zhang QQ. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation for pheochromocytoma: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(15): 102343 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i15.102343]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Qing-Qian Zhang, PhD, Department of Oncology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 234 Gucui Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang Province, China. 604899887@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Shu-Ying Zeng, Clinical Medical College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Hai-Hui Wu, Department of Endocrinology, Pinghu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiaxing 314200, Zhejiang Province, China
Zhi-Hong Yu, Qing-Qian Zhang, Department of Oncology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-first authors: Shu-Ying Zeng and Hai-Hui Wu.
Author contributions: Zeng SY was involved throughout the patient’s treatment process and writing the paper; Zeng SY and Wu HH collected data, they contributed equally to this article, they are the co-first authors of this manuscript; Wu HH, Yu ZH, and Zhang QQ revised the paper; and all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from the patients for this article.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Qing-Qian Zhang, PhD, Department of Oncology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 234 Gucui Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang Province, China. 604899887@qq.com
Received: October 15, 2024 Revised: December 23, 2024 Accepted: January 9, 2025 Published online: May 26, 2025 Processing time: 97 Days and 23.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) is a type of tumor that originates from chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla and is classified as an adrenal paraganglioma. PHEOs can secrete catecholamines, leading to a variety of symptoms. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment selection are crucial for favorable outcomes in these cases.
CASE SUMMARY
The patient presented with unexplained chest tightness, palpitations, and pink sputum. Upon examination and analysis of laboratory results, a diagnosis of adrenal PHEO was established. The PHEO secreted high levels of catecholamines, causing sudden fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate, leading to extremely unstable hemodynamics. Treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation helped stabilize the patient’s vital signs, allowing for timely surgical intervention.
CONCLUSION
The combination of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation can enhance tissue perfusion, thus providing a solid foundation for the accurate diagnosis and effective surgical treatment of PHEO.
Core Tip: The clinical manifestation of adrenal pheochromocytoma was atypical and the hemodynamics was extremely unstable. If the treatment is not timely, life will be lost. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation offers crucial time for diagnosing adrenal pheochromocytoma and provides a solid foundation for its surgical treatment. Surgery is the standard of care for the disease, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation shortens the drug preparation time for surgery. This combination stabilizes blood flow and oxygenation, enhances systemic tissue perfusion, and protects vital organs such as the heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys.
