A young patient with heart failure was diagnosed with extra-adrenal paraganglioma: a case report

Abstract

Background: We present a case of pelvic paraganglioma that presented with heart failure as the primary symptom.

Case presentation: A 35-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to heart failure. Contrast-enhanced pelvic CT showed mass shadows in the posterior wall of the bladder and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the retroperitoneal area. Ultrasound-guided puncture was performed, and the pathologic diagnosis was extra-adrenal paraganglioma. The patient refused any chemotherapy and died within six months of diagnosis.

Conclusion: The possibility of neuroendocrine-related tumors, for example paragangliomas, should be considered in young patients with heart failure, especially those with concomitant hypertension and diabetes.

Keywords: Case report; Extra-adrenal gland; Heart failure; Paraganglioma.