Primary intra-abdominal paraganglioma: A case report

BACKGROUND: Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors. We hereby report a case of a localized paraganglioma found in the abdominal cavity, and review the relevant literature to improve the understanding of this disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 29-year-old Chinese female patient was referred to our hospital due to an abdominal mass found on physical examination. Imaging revealed a mass in the left upper abdomen, suggestive of either a benign stromal tumor or an ectopic accessory spleen. Laparoscopic radical resection was subsequently performed, and histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a paraganglioma. The patient was followed up 3 months post-operation, and reported good recovery with no metastasis. CONCLUSION: Radical resection can effectively treat intra-abdominal paragangliomas, with few side effects and low recurrence risk. In addition, early and accurate diagnosis and timely intervention are essential for the prognosis of this disease.