A left atrial paraganglioma patient presenting with compressive dysphagia

Paragangliomas are rare neoplasms of neural crest origin arising in the chromaffin (pheochromocytoma) and chemoreceptor (chemodectoma) tissues. Only a few cases of paragangliomas have been reported in the heart. Most of the cardiac paragangliomas are located in, or adjacent to, the left atrium. The biological activity indicative of catecholamine production has rarely been shown in cardiac paragangliomas. Patients with cardiac paragangliomas may present with hypertension, or with various obstructive or compressive symptoms, depending on the location of the tumour. A left atrial paraganglioma compressing the esophagus causing dysphagia is presented. A 37-year-old female patient underwent work-up for dysphagia to solids. Transesophageal echocardiography showed the presence of a large mass in the dilated left atrium. The tumour was removed completely intact and was a benign noncatecholamine-secreting paraganglioma. The patient's dysphagia was relieved. The clinical perspectives of cardiac paraganglioma and cardiac dysphagia are discussed.