A common symptom in two uncommon coexistent conditions: Glomus jugulare tumor and dysphagia lusoria

Abstract

Glomus jugulare (GJ) tumors are paragangliomas originating rom chromaffin cells. GJ tumors are very rare with an estimated ncidence around one per 1.3 million people [1]. These neoplasms re highly vascularized and histologically benign in most cases but ay invade bone, blood vessels, dura mater, and cranial nerves. atients with GJ tumor usually present with conductive hearing oss and pulsatile tinnitus. Growth of the tumor can cause facial erve (FN) paralysis, vertigo, hoarseness, and paralysis of lower ranial nerves [2]. Active GJ tumors secrete catecholamine into the irculation presenting with vasomotor symptoms like headaches, xcess lacrimation, diarrhea and episodic flushing [3]. Dysphagia is n uncommon presentation of glomus jugulare tumor (6%) [1]. Dyshagia lusoria due to compression of the esophagus by an aberrant ubclavian artery is also uncommon with a prevalence of 0.5–1.8% 4]. We present a rare catecholamine secreting GJ tumor which coxisted with an aberrant subclavian artery. Although dysphagia was nitially attributed to the aberrant subclavian artery, later work up ndicated a GJ tumor as the main culprit. To our knowledge, coxistence of GJ tumor and aberrant subclavian artery has not been eported before in the literature. Moreover active catecholamine