Thumbs down for pheochromocytoma surgery in pregnancy: review
Examination of a large cohort backs pharmacotherapy guidelines, researchers say
Immediate alpha-adrenergic blockade for pheochromocytoma associated with pregnancy is likely to yield a better outcome than surgery, according to the largest cohort study yet on the topic.
The study of the rare condition drew on data for 249 pregnancies in 232 women with pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (collectively, PPGL) discovered either before (15%) or during (54%) pregnancy or in the year postpartum (31%).
Most cases were from an international pheochromocytoma and pregnancy registry covering 25 countries, while the rest were found in a