Parasellar Paraganglioma: Case Report

Summary: Paragangliomas are neuroendocrine tumors of paraganglionic tissue which are extremely rare in the sellar area. Their clinical course characteristically begins with the appearance of endocrine disorders manifested by progressive hypophyseal insufficiency and visual field changes with progressive tumor extension. A specific feature of paragangliomas of the chiasma-sellar area is their rich vascularization, which is demonstrated by angiography and verified in all cases during operation. The rich vascularization of paragangliomas of the chiasma-sellar area calls for rapid and complete removal and poses a challenge for neurosurgical management and achievement of complete hemostasis. We present a case of parasellar paraganglioma with suprasellar extension and involvement of the cavernous sinus on a 30 y/o male patient with visual changes and endocrinopathies for the past few months.