Multiple extra-adrenal paragangliomas associated with catecholamine cardiomyopathy.

We describe a patient with multiple extra-adrenal paragangliomas who presented with clinical features of a dilated cardiomyopathy. Hypertension was not a major feature of the illness despite excessive catecholamine secretion by the tumours. Following surgical resection the changes of dilated cardiomyopathy did not regress on echocardiography and the patient died of left ventricular failure.