Successful Use of Regitine (Phentolamine) in the Diagnosis and Surgical Management of a Case of Pheochromocytoma

Abstract

IT is estimated that 800 persons die yearly in the United States of complications of hypertension due to pheochromocytoma.^{1 , 2} Smithwick and his associates³ found 5 unsuspected cases of pheochromocytoma among a group of 1000 patients subjected to sympathectomy and adrenal exploration for hypertension. The increasing recognition that such a tumor may cause sustained as well as paroxysmal hypertension has led to the continued search for a simple and safe diagnostic agent for screening hypertensive patients. The recent introduction of Regitine by Grimson⁴ and others^{5 , 6} has made available an agent that has shown no serious side reactions to date.⁷ To this . . .