Laparoscopic resection of benign schwannoma in the hepatoduodenal ligament: A case report and review of the literature

Schwannomas are mesenchymal neoplasms with a low malignant potential, which arise from Schwann cells. The tumors can occur in most parts of the body; however, the head, neck and flexor surfaces of the extremities are the most common locations. Schwannomas occurring in the hepatoduodenal ligament are extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, only two cases of schwannoma in the hepatoduodenal ligament have been reported in the literature, and treatment of such cases by laparoscopic surgery has not yet been reported. The present study reports a case of schwannoma in the hepatoduodenal ligament in a 50-year-old male patient. Physical and laboratory examinations showed no abnormal results. Ultrasound and computed tomography failed to definitively diagnose the mass and identify its location. During laparoscopic surgery, a mass was identified in the hepatoduodenal ligament and was completely removed. The gross specimen was a 4.5×2.5×2.5-cm localized mass, yellowish-white in color. Microscopic examination revealed that the tumor was mainly composed of spindle-shaped cells and no atypical cells were identified. Immunohistochemical staining showed a strong positive S-100 protein reaction, whereas cluster of differentiation 34 and epithelial membrane antigen were negative. The final diagnosis of the lesion was benign schwannoma of the hepatoduodenal ligament. The patient was followed-up for 7 months and, at the time of writing, was healthy and without any complications. The aim of the present study was to describe a rare case of hepatoduodenal ligament schwannoma in a 50-year-old male patient, and present a review of the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of hepatoduodenal ligament schwannoma treated by laparoscopic surgery.