Turkish Journal of Pathology

Türk Patoloji Dergisi

Turkish Journal of Pathology

Turkish Journal of Pathology

2016, Vol 32, Num, 3     (Pages: 196-199)

Nasal Polyp – An Incidental Paraganglioma

Ruchi SRIVASTAVA 1, Neelam WADHWA 1, Shikha GUPTA 2, Urvashi RAZDAN 3

1 Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, DELHI, INDIA
2 Departments of Pathology, Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, DELHI, INDIA
3 Departments of Otorhinolaryngology, Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, DELHI, INDIA

DOI: 10.5146/tjpath.2014.01255
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The nose is an uncommon site for head and neck paraganglioma. The diagnosis is seldom established pre-operatively; its rarity, infrequent functionality and often benign biologic outcome underlie this fact. We present one such case in a 60-year-old man who presented with right nasal obstruction and episodic epistaxis. Rhinoscopy revealed a fleshy polypoid mass arising from the anterior cartilaginous nasal septum. Imaging studies excluded extra-nasal extension. The tumor was highly vascular showing numerous variable sized, mostly thin walled branching blood vessels akin to stag-horn shape simulating a vascular neoplasm. There were large areas of hyalinization. The typical tumor morphology was discernible only in focal areas. Immuno-histochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. The tumor cells expressed neuron specific enolase; S-100 stain demonstrated a vague zell-ballen pattern. Paraganglioma is a rare histologic diagnosis in nasal polypectomy specimen. We discuss the approach to exclude its morphologic mimics including vascular tumors.

Keywords : Nose, Paraganglioma, Epistaxis, Extra-adrenal, Nasal polyp