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 × 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.