Functional paraganglioma of the middle mediastinum.

We describe a 49-year-old woman with refractory hypertension resulting from a functional paraganglioma of the middle mediastinum. After aggressive medical antihypertensive control and reduction of catecholamine production, she underwent surgical resection requiring transection and subsequent reconstruction of the aorta on cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest. We believe that this is the first report of a functionally active paraganglioma of the mediastinum requiring resection with cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic reconstruction.