A glomus vagale tumour presenting with acute left ventricular failure.

A glomus vagale is a rare lesion of paraganglionic cells in the vagal perineurium. Secretion of hormones by such a tumour is exceedingly uncommon, although associated metabolic processes have been demonstrated. Clinical effects of secretion reported previously have been minimal. We report a case where resistant hypertension was eventually found to be due to a secretory glomus vagale, and was greatly alleviated by removal of the lesion.