title: Laparoscopic resection of an adrenal schwannoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Schwannomas are tumors originating from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath (neurilemma) of the neuroectoderm. Rarely, schwannomas can arise from the retroperitoneum and adrenal medulla. We describe a case of a 71-y-old woman who presented with an incidentally discovered adrenal tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasound and computed tomography scans revealed a lesion with solid and cystic areas originating from the left adrenal gland. The patient underwent complete laparoscopic resection of the tumor and the left adrenal gland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining of the excised specimen revealed a benign schwannoma measuring 5.5×5 3.7 cm. To our knowledge, few other cases of laparoscopic resection of adrenal schwannomas have been reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because preoperative diagnosis of adrenal tumors is inconclusive, complete laparoscopic excision allows for definitive diagnosis with histological evaluation and represents the treatment of choice.
authors.forename: Konstantinos G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
authors.affiliation: First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Toutouzas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Konstantinos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsamis
authors.forename: Tsamis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dimitrios
authors.forename: Panagiotis B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Kekis
authors.forename: Kekis B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Panagiotis
authors.forename: Nikolaos V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Michalopoulos
authors.forename: Michalopoulos V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Nikolaos
authors.forename: Ionnis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Flessas
authors.forename: Flessas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ioannis
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manouras
authors.forename: Manouras
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreas
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zografos
authors.forename: Zografos
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Geogrios
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography