[Nasal cavity paraganglioma with intracranial extension. Case report]

A 58-year-old male was admitted following an episode of unconsciousness. Nine years prior to this, he had undergone surgery and radiation therapy for a nasal tumor. Subsequently, he had undergone surgical excision of recurrent nasal tumors and metastases to the cervical lymph nodes. The final pathological diagnosis was paraganglioma. On admission, he had no neurological deficit other than anosmia. Laboratory studies showed no abnormalities in urinary concentrations of vanillylmandelic acid or catecholamines. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a calcified, heterogeneously enhanced mass in the anterior ethmoid sinus and bilateral frontal fossa. Cerebral angiography revealed a mesh-like tumor stain. Through a bifrontal craniotomy the intracranial tumor was totally removed. It was hypervascular and clearly demarcated from the surrounding cerebral tissue. The pathological diagnosis was paraganglioma without malignant features. Radiation therapy was administrated postoperatively at a total dose of 5060 rads, and follow-up CT showed regression of the ethmoid sinus tumor. As of 2 years postoperatively, the tumor has not recurred.