Life-Threatening Complication During Percutaneous Ablation of Adrenal Gland Metastasis: Takotsubo Syndrome

A rare life-threatening complication during percutaneous cryoablation of an adrenal gland metastasis from a lung carcinoma is reported. The patient presented hypertensive crisis at the beginning of the thawing cycle, followed by electrocardiographic change which necessitated interruption of the procedure and his transfer to the intensive care unit with suspicion of heart infarct. There was a slight increase in cardiac enzyme levels, and ventricular angiography demonstrated transient hypokinesis-dyskinesis of the mid left ventricular segments without apical involvement, while the coronary arteries showed no significant stenosis on coronarography. These findings led to the diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy left ventricular dysfunction syndrome. This is the first case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurring as a complication during percutaneous ablation of an adrenal gland tumor.