title: Laparoscopic excision of a retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ganglioneuromas are rare benign tumors originating from ganglion cells. Ganglioneuromas are detected incidentally because they are asymptomatic. We report a case of laparoscopic excision of a retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 49-y-old female was admitted to our medical center with the complaint of abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasound showed a hypoechoic solid lesion at the level of the liver hilum, adjacent to the pancreas. Computerized tomography scan confirmed the presence of a thin walled mass 44 mm in diameter, adjacent to the pancreas and liver. Laparoscopic excision of the retroperitoneal mass was planned. The tumor was removed en bloc, and the pathologic diagnosis was ganglioneuroma. The patient was discharged from the hospital on the third postoperative day without any complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minimally invasive surgery has been shown to be safe and reliable in patients with retroperitoneal tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Umraniye Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. orhanalimoglu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alimoglu
authors.forename: Mujgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caliskan
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasbahceci
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Canbak
authors.forename: Gurhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005729:Ganglioneuroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed