Non-Functional Paraganglioma of Retroperitoneum Mimicking Pancreatic Mass with Concurrent Urinary Bladder Paraganglioma: An Extremely Rare Entity

Abstract

Paragangliomas are extra-adrenal tumours of the autonomic nervous system, which rarely present as primary retroperitoneal mass mimicking pancreatic malignancy (incidence 2-8 per million populations). Urinary Bladder Paraganglioma are also extremely rare (0.06% of all Bladder Tumour and 6% of Paragangliomas) with most being malignant and high grade tumours. Non-functional varieties of both tumours are usually incidentally diagnosed. The possibility for malignant transformation in them makes surgical excision the treatment of choice. A 45-year-old lady with abdominal pain was investigated to have a complex retroperitoneal mass behind head of pancreas and a urinary bladder mass. Complete excision of retroperitoneal and bladder lesion was done. Histopathological examinations of both specimens were suggestive of Paraganglioma with no abnormal mitotic activity and capsular/vascular invasion. Although concurrent non functional paragangliomas had been reported but the synchronous non-functional paragangliomas of retroperitoneum and urinary bladder reported in this case is extremely rare and is not reported so far in English literature.

Keywords

• excision
• pancreas
• retroperitoneal mass
• synchronous