Type A Aortic Dissection Complicated by Pheochromocytoma.

Abstract

This report presents a case of aortic dissection as the patient's initial presentation of an undiagnosed pheochromocytoma. A 36-year-old man presented with substernal chest pressure and abdominal pain. Computed tomography revealed type A aortic dissection with a 3.6-cm left adrenal mass. Elevated catecholamine levels were diagnostic of pheochromocytoma. Type A aortic dissection caused by uncontrolled hypertension secondary to pheochromocytoma is a rare entity. This can complicate surgical planning. Although this situation is rare, it is important to consider pheochromocytoma in the differential diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension in the setting of type A aortic dissection.