title: Dorsal dumb-bell melanotic schwannoma operated on by posterior and anterior approach: case report and a review of the literature.
abstract: The schwannomas are benign tumors originating from Schwann cells which constitute the nerve sheath. The dorsal pigmented type of schwannomas is relatively rare (Goldstein in Am J Med Genet 86:62-65, 2004; Kurtkaya-Yapicier in Histol Histopathol 18(3):925-934, 2003). There are two distinct types of melanotic schwannoma: the sporadic melanotic schwannomas and the psammomatous melanotic schwannomas of Carney complex. We report a case of a patient harboring a right dorsal dumb-bell melanotic schwannoma and left adrenal mass. The patient underwent a surgical procedure for en bloc total removal of the mass by a posterior and anterior approach. Histopathological examination revealed the diagnosis of melanotic schwannoma. At present, we have no reliable marker of histopathological malignancy of melanotic schwannoma so the follow-up period ought to continue for a period of more than 5 years. As the total removal of the melanotic neurinomas is mandatory to prevent possible malignant transformation of the tumor recurrence or regrowth, we believe that the posterior and trans-thoracic approach are the most suitable one for the dorsal dumb-bell schwannoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, Tor Vergata Hospital, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford 81, 00133, Rome, Italy. leonardo.decerchio@fastwebnet.it
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Cerchio
authors.forename: Filiberto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Contratti
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fraioli
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome