Mayo Clinic case study: Surgical resection of a rare cardiac paraganglioma involving the left atrium
Rare cardiac tumors present significant diagnostic and surgical challenges—particularly when they involve critical cardiac structures and complex vascular supply.
In this Mayo Clinic case study, we examine the surgical management of a cardiac paraganglioma in a 62-year-old male with a known germline SDHB variant and family history of paraganglioma. Imaging revealed a highly vascular 5 × 4 × 4 cm subcarinal mass encroaching on the dome of the left atrium, with PET DOTATATE avidity confirming the diagnosis.
Pathology confirmed paraganglioma with negative margins, and the patient’s postoperative course was unremarkable. At one-year follow-up, the patient was doing well, with postoperative CT imaging demonstrating complete resolution of the mass.
This case offers valuable insight for cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, oncologists, and clinicians involved in the evaluation and treatment of rare cardiac neuroendocrine tumors.
