Diagnosis and Management of Pheochromocytoma in a Resource-Challenged Setting: A Case Report

Phaeochromocytoma (PCC) is a rare catecholamine-secreting tumor derived from the sympathetic nervous system's chromaffin cells. Pheochromocytomas are exceptionally rare in children and are responsible for about 1% of pediatric hypertensive patients [1]. They arise most commonly in the adrenal glands (approximatively 85% of tumors)[1] but may also arise from chromaffin cells of the sympathetic nervous system, known as paragangliomas (PGLs). The tumors are more common in boys than girls, with a 2:1 ratio of boys to girls in pediatric PCC/PGL cohorts [2]. PCC/PGL often occur as sporadic tumors, but may sometimes occur as part of hereditary tumor syndromes, mainly Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) disease and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2A and 2B [1]. About 50% of cases are missed and discovered at autopsy because the diagnosis was not considered at presentation [3]. We report this case of phaeochromocytoma to draw the attention of clinicians in our environment to this unusual cause of pediatric hypertension and the need for a thorough investigation of the hypertension etiology of in children. We also underline the fact that this feared tumor can be successfully managed even in areas with limited resources, such as ours. Finally, we encourage physi-cians to measure blood pressure of children presenting to their clinics.