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Open Access Case report

Anterior mediastinal paraganglioma: A case for preoperative embolization

Murtaza Shakir1*, Geoff Blossom1 and John Lippert2

Author Affiliations

1 Department of Surgery, Riverside Methodist Hospital, 3535 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH, 43214-3998, USA

2 Department of Radiology, Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Riverside Methodist Hospital, 3525 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA

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World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2012, 10:134 doi:10.1186/1477-7819-10-134

Published: 3 July 2012

Abstract

Background

Paraganglioma is a rare but highly vascular tumor of the anterior mediastinum. Surgical resection is a challenge owing to the close proximity to vital structures including the heart, trachea and great vessels. Preoperative embolization has been reported once to facilitate surgical treatment.

Case presentation

We report a case of anterior mediastinal paraganglioma that was embolized preoperatively, and was resected without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass and without major bleeding complications.

Conclusion

We make a case to further the role of preoperative embolization in the treatment of mediastinal paragangliomas.

Keywords:
Paraganglioma; Surgical oncology; CT-guided biopsy