Adrenal Schwannoma Treated With Laparoscopic Surgery

OBJECTIVE We report a case of left adrenal schwannoma in a 62-year-old man, incidentally discovered on an abdominal computed tomography. It was successfully treated with laparoscopic adrenalectomy. METHODS On admission, no remarkable findings were recognized in the patient's blood and urine examination, including adrenal function. Laparoscopic left adrenalectomy was performed with the diagnosis of a nonfunctioning adrenal tumor. RESULTS Macroscopically, the tumor (45 mm x 30 mm, 60 g) arose from the medulla of the adrenal gland with a clear border distinguishing it from surrounding tissues. Histologically, the tumor consisted uniformly of spindle cells that were positive for S-100. The cortex was compressed but showed no atrophy. The diagnosis of adrenal schwannoma was made. CONCLUSION Although an increasing number of adrenal incidentaloma have been identified with the recent advances in imaging techniques, only a few cases of schwannoma of the adrenal gland have been reported. We reviewed the cases reported previously in an attempt to reveal the characteristic features of this rare disease.