CASE REPORT

Unexpected intra-operative diagnosis of a large cystic phaeochromocytoma and secondary nifedipine pharmacobezoar

D N Ginther^I; S Kriegler^II; R Kanthan^III; J M Shaw^IV

^IMD, BSc; Division of General Surgery, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
^IIMD, MB ChB, MMed, FRCP (C); Department of Medical Imaging, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
^IIIMB BS, MS, FRCS, FRCPSC, FCAP, MEd; Department of Pathology, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
^IVMB BCh, FCS (SA), MMed (Surg); Division of General Surgery, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

ABSTRACT

Cystic phaeochromocytoma is a rare neuro-endocrine tumour that is frequently asymptomatic and often diagnosed incidentally on imaging or intra-operatively. A pharmacobezoar is a rare complication of extended-release drug delivery systems. We present a case of a 70-year-old woman diagnosed intra-operatively with cystic phaeochromocytoma and antihypertensive pharmacobezoar.

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