Massive paraganglioma in an infant

Abstract

We report here a 7-month-old baby presenting with a large paraganglioma arising from the right side of neck and extending to the scalp. Catecholamine screening was within normal limits. Ultrasound of the abdomen, CT-scan, and whole body MRI excluded any other coexisting neuroendocrine tumor. The tumor was treated by radical excision, and the resultant soft tissue defect was resurfaced using a pectoralis major muscle flap with split skin grafting. There has been no recurrence or metastasis during the 2-year follow up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the youngest reported patient with paraganglioma of the neck. Surgical excision of paraganglioma is feasible and curative in the absence of metastasis.

Keywords

• Neuroendocrine tumor
• Paraganglioma