Extra-adrenal paraganglioma masquerading as severe preeclampsia

Paraganglioma in pregnancy is an extremely rare condition and its diagnosis is often delayed because the clinical symptoms can mimic those of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. Here, we report the case of a 32-year-old, gravida 2, para 1 woman who presented with severe headache, palpitation,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inObstetrics & gynecology science Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 520 - 523
Main Authors Hyeon Ji Kim, Shin Ho Yang, Sun Hye Yang, Seung Su Han, Gwang Jun Kim
Format Journal Article
LanguageKorean
Published 대한산부인과학회 30.07.2018
Subjects
Hypertension
Paraganglioma
Preeclampsia
Pregnancy
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Summary:Paraganglioma in pregnancy is an extremely rare condition and its diagnosis is often delayed because the clinical symptoms can mimic those of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. Here, we report the case of a 32-year-old, gravida 2, para 1 woman who presented with severe headache, palpitation, and sweating at 37 weeks' gestation. Although emergent cesarean section was performed on the assumption of severe preeclampsia, blood pressure fluctuated and heart rate remained tachycardiac. We suspected that she might have thromboembolic lesion in the chest or pheochromocytoma. Chest and abdominal computed tomography revealed a 4 cm mass in the left para-aortic space. Serum and urinary catecholamine levels were found to be significantly increased. She underwent laparoscopic mass removal and the pathology confirmed paraganglioma. When typical paroxysmal hypertension is accompanied by headache, palpitation, and sweating during pregnancy, adrenal tumors should be considered.
Bibliography:The Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
ISSN:2287-8572