Resumen

ARROYO-MARTINEZ, Laura; ALVAREZ-PERTUZ, Humberto; ACUNA-CALVO, Jorge  y  MONTOYA-CALLES, Juan Diego. Paraganglioma funcional extra-adrenal. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2006, vol.48, n.1, pp.39-42. ISSN 0001-6002.

Functioning paragangliomas are rare tumors that produce catecholamines. They originate from extra-adrenal chromaffin cells. They are frequentIy malignant and are associated with high incidence of persistent or recurrent disease after their primary treatment. Tumor size and the presence of metastatic disease are the main prognostic factors for the outcome of these patients. The majority are located in the retroperitoneum. The diagnosis involves the determination of an excessive non physiological production of catecholamines; and afterwards its location, imaging studies such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance are able to find the tumor in most cases. The most effective treatment modality is surgery. We present here the case of a 32 y-o female who came in with facial and thoracic hyperhidrosis and hypertension. She underwent laparoscopic removal of a left retroperitoneal paraganglioma and became cured.

Palabras clave : extra adrenal paraganglioma; pheocromocytoma; arterial hippertension; laparoscopic adrendectomy.