Perioperative circulating blood volume analysis in management of a 13-year-old female patient with an extraadrenal pheochromocytoma and refractory ventricular tachycardia: a case report

Abstract

This report describes the use of discrete real-time monitoring of blood volume (BV) and cardiac index (CI) by a dye densitography analyzer before, during, and after removal of a pheochromocytoma. The BV expanded by about 1.1 L and CI increased by about 2.2-fold after the tumor was removed. In lieu of a rapid catecholamine determination, the hemodynamic data were used to choose a supplemental catecholamine to stabilize the patient during and after the protracted surgery. This case demonstrates the importance of hemodynamic monitoring (BV and CI) to predict or detect cardiac and other complications, particularly in young patients with catecholamine-secreting tumors.