Non-chromaffin paraganglioma of the orbit. Case report

The non chromaffin paraganglioma of the orbit is a relatively rare tumor. To our knowledge only 25 cases have been reported in the world literature. We report on the case of a 39-year-old woman who was treated surgically for the removal of an orbital paraganglioma 10 years ago. She had complained of proptosis and her right eyeball was slightly displaced upwards and laterally. A transcranial operation was performed and the tumor, located medically and weighing 9'5 grs., was completely removed; it was encapsulated. 10 years after this total excision there was no evidence of recurrence. From a histological point of view the tumor cells closely resembled those of paragangliomas of the carotid body and glomus jugulare.