Gastric schwannoma as a rare differential diagnosis of pleural effusion

We report a case of solitary gastric schwannoma that initially manifested with recurrent left pleural effusion caused by an inflammatory reaction. A 75-year-old female was primarily admitted with progressive dyspnoea and left sided effusion. History as well as clinical examination, gastroscopy, computed tomography (CT) and transabdominal ultrasound of the abdomen suggested the diagnosis of a benign tumour of the stomach. The tumour was resected and a fundectomy with a security distance of 3-5 cm performed. Histological assessment revealed a large intramural schwannoma of the gastric wall, arising from the submucosal layer. There was no evidence of malignancy. During a three year follow-up the patient has not shown any evidence of relapse or pleural effusion. This is a very rare manifestation of this benign tumour, representing a rare differential diagnosis in a case of left sided pleural effusion.