Intraoperative Corrected Diagnosis of a Right Renal Para-Hilar Paraganglioma, Taken Preoperatively for a Renal Tumor

Abstract

Nonfunctional retroperitoneal paragangliomas are rare tumors. They are defined as extra-adrenal chromaffin tumors and represent about 20% of chromaffin tumors. They are often asymptomatic and can grow to large dimensions. We report the observation of a 67-year-old patient admitted to the operating room for right total nephrectomy for right hilar renal tumor and whose intraoperative dissection of the renal pedicle could demonstrate an exorenal mass. Anatomopathological analysis was in favor of a paraganglioma. Malignant forms, more frequent than benign forms, present a locoregional invasion and metastasize late. The management of paragangliomas must be multidisciplinary but only surgical treatment is curative. However, there is no consensus on the usefulness of complementary therapies, which can nevertheless be used as a symptomatic adjunct. Paragangliomas are genetic in 25% of cases. A genetic investigation must be systematically proposed.