Understanding Pre-Surgical Blockade: What Every PPGL Patient Should Know
Preparing for surgery can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re also managing a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL). This session is designed to help you feel informed, prepared, and confident as you approach your procedure.
Surgery to remove a PPGL tumor carries a unique risk: manipulating the tumor during the procedure can trigger sudden, dangerous spikes in blood pressure and heart rate. To protect against this, patients are typically prescribed a period of medication — called pre-surgical blockade — in the weeks before surgery. This session will walk you through exactly what that means and what to expect.
Join us for this 90-minute conversation, where you’ll learn:
- Why pre-surgical blockade matters and how it protects you during surgery
- What “alpha adrenoceptor blockade” actually means in everyday terms
- Why beta adrenoceptor blockers are sometimes added — and why the order of these medications matters
- How salt and fluid intake play a role in your preparation
- What to expect before, during, and after surgery
Our goal is to help you leave this session feeling grounded, prepared, and ready to have informed conversations with your own care team.
Featured Speakers
Dr. Henri J.L.M. Timmers, MD, PhD
Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre
Dr. Annika Berends, MD, PhD
University Medical Center Groningen
Paul Stoughton
Person with Lived Experience
Moderated by Dr. Karel Pacak, MD, PhD, DSc
Global leader in PPGL research
What You’ll Walk Away Knowing
By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
- Explain in simple terms why pre-surgical blockade is necessary for many PPGL patients
- Understand the basic difference between alpha and beta adrenoceptor blockers — and why the order they’re started matters
- Recognize common side effects of blockade medications and know when to contact your care team
- Understand why your care team may ask you to increase salt and fluid intake before surgery
- Walk away with 3–5 key questions to bring to your own endocrinologist or surgeon
Take the Conversation Further: Your Pre-Surgical Blockade Roadmap
Developed by the Pheo Para Alliance (PPA) following this webinar, this guide helps people living with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) prepare for surgery by walking through key questions to ask your care team. Fill in your care team’s answers in the blank spaces, then bring the completed page to your pre-op appointment and share a copy with your caregiver. Use the checklist to track your progress, and keep the “when to call your clinic” box handy as a quick reference for warning signs.