Schwannoma with concomitant tuberculosis in the adrenal gland

Abstract

Schwannoma is a rare primary tumor originating in the neural sheath with a good prognosis. The management is surgical. We present a case in which a retroperitoneal mass arising from the adrenal gland was excised and histopathology revealed a schwannoma with coexisting tuberculosis. This case report highlights the need to be aware of the potential coexistence of tuberculosis in any case of incidentaloma, especially due to resurgence of tuberculosis as a global epidemic with the increasing incidence of HIV and AIDS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a schwannoma and tuberculosis coexisting in the adrenal gland.

Laparoscopic Resection of an Adrenal Schwannoma

“…25–27 Verocay was the first to present histologically a tumor that occurred by neurons. 28 Masson elucidated that these tumors originate from Schwann cells and termed them schwannomas.…”

“…All of the lesions are characterized by benign features. 9–11,14,15,19,20,25–27 The common surgical approach that was followed was laparotomy and complete excision of the mass and the adrenal gland, with controversy existing over the necessity of negative margins, especially when adjacent tissues were in close proximity. In one case, partial adrenalectomy took place.…”

Retroperitoneal schwannomas

“…Histopathology makes possible the definitive diagnosis [9]. Two distinct patterns of adrenal schwannomas have been described: Antoni type A has elongated spindle cells arranged in irregular streams and is compact in nature, and Antoni type B has a looser structure with cystic spaces mixed within the tissue.…”