[Intraoperative diagnosis of a mediastinal paraganglioma: Anesthetic management]

A 45-year-old woman with a posterior mediastinal tumor underwent right thoracotomy for resection, developing hypertension and difficult-to-control tachycardia while the tumor was being manipulated. A catecholamine-secreting tumor was suspected, the operation halted, and the patient prepared for surgery at a later time. The tumor was a mediastinal paraganglioma and the final outcome was satisfactory. Risk related to anesthesia is high in such patients, with perioperative mortality ranging from 40 to 85%. Correct diagnosis and appropriate preoperative drug preparation with adrenergic receptor blockers appreciably decreases morbidity and mortality related to surgery. We discuss the effect of labetalol on such tumors and describe our observations.