Renal Paraganglioma: A Rare Case of Secondary Hypertension in a Young Patient

Abstract

Paragangliomas are catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumors that form outside of the adrenal gland.A 19-year-old woman with a history of hypertension was found to have an incidental mass on the inferior right kidney on imaging after presenting to the emergency department with acute abdominal pain.The mass was removed via right robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy; histopathological findings supported the diagnosis of paraganglioma.The hypertension resolved following removal and genetic syndrome tests were negative.This case emphasizes the importance of a broad differential diagnosis in young patients presenting with hypertension, reviews genetic and histological associations with paragangliomas, and discusses treatment of these catecholamine-secreting tumors.