Adrenergic Storm with Obstructive Hydrocephalus

Atypical Neurological Presentation of Von Hippel-Lindau Disease with Bilateral Pheochromocytoma in an Adolescent

Authors

  • Cheah Jean Mun Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9456-463X
  • Thai Lun Tan Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7337-0550
  • Stefanie Kar Yan Hung Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
  • Fei Bing Yong Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia' https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8555-1353
  • Sue Wen Lim Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
  • Xin-Yi Ooi Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
  • Hui Chin Wong Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
  • Sy Liang Yong Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15605/jafes.040.02.18

Keywords:

adolescent, germline mutation, obstructive hydrocephalus, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, pheochromocytoma, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Abstract

Pheochromocytoma is often not the first diagnosis considered for many neurological complaints, especially obstructive hydrocephalus. We report a case of Von Hippel-Lindau disease in an adolescent presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus due to adrenergic storm requiring emergency ventriculoperitoneal shunt. This vignette emphasizes the importance of an integral approach, particularly accurate diagnosis that would lead to targeted pharmacological therapy focusing on alphaadrenergic receptor blockade, which was followed by total curative excision of pheochromocytoma in a timely fashion.

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Author Biographies

Cheah Jean Mun, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Thai Lun Tan, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Stefanie Kar Yan Hung, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Fei Bing Yong, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia'

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Sue Wen Lim, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Xin-Yi Ooi, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Hui Chin Wong, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Sy Liang Yong, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Ministry of Health, Malaysia

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Published

2025-11-03

How to Cite

Jean Mun, C., Tan, T. L., Hung, S., Yong, F. B., Lim, S. W., Ooi, X.-Y., … Yong, S. L. (2025). Adrenergic Storm with Obstructive Hydrocephalus: Atypical Neurological Presentation of Von Hippel-Lindau Disease with Bilateral Pheochromocytoma in an Adolescent. Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies, 40(2), 169–174. https://doi.org/10.15605/jafes.040.02.18

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Section

Case Reports