Malignant vagal paraganglioma: report of a case treated with embolization and surgery

Approximately 20 cases of malignant vagal paragangliomas (MVP)have been reported in English literature. Malignancy is based on the presence of metastases. A careful preoperative evaluation is necessary to detect multicentricity and/or significant production of catecholamines. A new case of MVP treated with embolization and surgery is presented and the literature discussed. It is concluded, that preoperative embolization followed by radical surgical resection is a rational treatment of patients with unilateral MVP.