A Rare Case of an Adrenal Ganglioneuroma Treated Laparoscopically in a Patient with Left-Sided Inferior Vena Cava

J Endourol Case Rep. 2020 Dec 29;6(4):530-532. doi: 10.1089/cren.2020.0174. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Background: Ganglioneuroma is a rare tumor derived from the neural crest that can occur in any sympathetic tissue. It corresponds to 0.3% to 2% of incidental adrenal tumors and <250 have been reported in the literature so far. Case Presentation: We present a case of a 30-year-old Caucasian woman presented with a large bilobed adrenal tumor found on a CT scan during the investigation of acute abdominal pain. The image also showed a rare anatomic variation of a left-sided inferior vena cava. Biochemical work-up for adrenal incidentaloma showed normal markers. Since we could not rule out malignancy, the patient was subjected to laparoscopic adrenalectomy and the pathology report showed an adrenal ganglioneuroma, a rare nonfunctioning tumor of the adrenal. Conclusion: Ganglioneuroma can present as a large bilobed adrenal tumor. The laparoscopic approach is feasible and safe. Preoperative planning is needed and vascular variations can be challenging during the procedure.

Keywords: adrenal tumor; ganglioneuroma; incidentaloma; laparoscopic surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports