Skin blood flow and plasma catecholamine concentrations during removal of a phaeochromocytoma in a child

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 92; no. 5; pp. 757 - 760
• Main Authors: Mikasa, H, Sakuragi, T, Higa, K, Yasumoto, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2004; Oxford University Press; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - blood; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - surgery; Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; blood; blood, flow, skin; Catecholamines - blood; Child; flow; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; monitoring; Monitoring, Intraoperative - methods; neurotransmitter; paediatric; pharmacology; pharmacology, neurotransmitter; Pheochromocytoma - blood; Pheochromocytoma - surgery; Regional Blood Flow; skin; Skin - blood supply; surgery; surgery, paediatric; pharmacology, neurotransmitter; monitoring; surgery, paediatric; blood, flow, skin; blood, flow, skin; monitoring; pharmacology, neurotransmitter; surgery, paediatric; Endocrinopathy; Doppler ultrasound study; Removal; Biological fluid; Pheochromocytoma; Blood plasma; paediatric; Secretory tumor; neurotransmitter; surgery; Flowmetry; Child; flow; Sonography; Human; General anesthesia; Toe; Catecholamine; blood; Blood flow; Sevoflurane; Blood concentration; skin; monitoring; pharmacology; Manipulation; Extradural administration; Laser; Skin; Hemodynamics; Nitrogen protoxide
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/aeh119

A 9-yr-old boy with an adrenal phaeochromocytoma underwent removal of the tumour under general anaesthesia using sevoflurane and nitrous oxide combined with thoracic epidural anaesthesia. Skin blood flow in the first toe, as measured by laser Doppler flowmetry, markedly decreased during manipulation of the tumour and increased after removal of it. Skin blood flow correlated more significantly with plasma catecholamine concentrations than did mean arterial blood pressure. Skin blood flow may be used as a non-invasive measure of plasma catecholamine concentrations during removal of a phaeochromocytoma in paediatric patients.