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Functioning paraganglioma of the thoracic spine: case report
Graham Joseph Jeffs1, Gabriel Yin Foo Lee, George Tse-Hwai Wong
1Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia. jeffsyg@hotmail.com
Neurosurgery
|October 2, 2003
Summary
This case report details a rare functioning thoracic spine paraganglioma. Successful surgical treatment was achieved with careful planning and pharmacological management.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Neurosurgery
- Oncology
Background:
- Thoracic spine paragangliomas are exceptionally rare.
- Most previously reported cases involved nonfunctioning tumors.
Observation:
- A 53-year-old woman presented with symptoms of excess catecholamine release, including hypertension, headaches, flushing, and palpitations.
- Diagnostic imaging revealed an extradural tumor at T12 with paraspinal extension.
- Elevated urinary catecholamines confirmed a functioning neuroendocrine tumor.
Findings:
- The patient underwent surgical resection following alpha-adrenergic blockade.
- Complete tumor excision was achieved without neurological deficit.
- Postoperative normalization of blood pressure and catecholamine levels was observed.
Implications:
- Functioning thoracic paragangliomas are challenging to diagnose and treat.
- Multidisciplinary management involving endocrinology, neurosurgery, and oncology is crucial.
- Successful outcomes depend on meticulous surgical strategy and pharmacologic preparation.