A left atrial paraganglioma patient presenting with compressive dysphagia

Paragangliomas are rare neoplasms of neural crest origin arising in the chr omaffin (pheochromocytoma) and chemoreceptor (chemodectoma) tissues. Only a few cases of paragangliomas have been reported in the heart, Most of the c ardiac paragangliomas are located in, or adjacent to, the left atrium. The biological activity indicative of catecholamine production has rarely been shown in cardiac paragangliomas. Patients with cardiac paragangliomas may p resent with hypertension. or with various obstructive or compressive sympto ms, depending on the Location of the tumour. A left atrial paraganglioma co mpressing the esophagus causing dysphagia is presented. A 37-year old femal e patient underwent work-up for dysphagia to solids. Transesophageal echoca rdiography showed the presence of a large mass in the dilated left atrium. The tumour was removed completely intact and was a benign noncatecholamine- secreting paraganglioma. The patient's dysphagia was relieved. The clinical perspectives of cardiac paraganglioma and cardiac dysyphagia are discussed .