[A Long-Term Survival Case of Paraganglioma Treated with Repeated Surgical Resection]

We report a case of long-term survival in paraganglioma treated with repetitive surgery. A 32-year-old man was seen at the hospital because of hypertension and headache. On biochemical tests, elevated serum and urinary levels of noradrenaline were noted. Abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a tumor 50 mm in diameter on the dorsal region of the inferior vena cava, superior to the renal artery. Our diagnosis was paraganglioma and we performed open resection of the tumor. Six years later, hypertension and headache appeared and abdominal computed tomography revealed tumors located in right renal hilus and para-aortic regions superior to aortic bifurcation, and ¹²³I-MIBG scintigraphy revealed uptake at the same sites. Therefore, we diagnosed the patient with recurrent pheochromocytoma and performed laparoscopic resection of the tumor. Surgical treatment was repeatedly performed for recurrence, and the symptoms due to hypersecretion of catecholamines could be controlled over a long period.