Diaphragmatic paraganglioma protruding into the right thoracic cavity

Abstract

Paragangliomas in the diaphragm are extremely rare. We report the case of a 27-year-old woman with a nonfunctioning paraganglioma protruding superiorly from the right diaphragm. The patient underwent an anterior thoracotomy, and a supradiaphragmatic tumor (70 mm in diameter), which compressed the inferior vena cava and the right hepatic vein, was completely resected by combined partial resection of the right diaphragm and pericardium. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a paraganglioma situated both on the diaphragm and close to the inferior vena cava and hepatic vein. Key points: