Endoscopic resection of a retroperitoneal schwannoma: case report

Retroperitoneal schwannomas are rare tumors. The symptoms are usually non-specific and these lesions can only be demonstrated with advanced radiological methods. Posterior and anterior approaches can be used to remove retroperitoneal schwannomas. Traditional techniques carry significant risks.

A 35-year-old man was admitted with a history of right leg pain of 3 months duration. He had received conservative treatment and physical therapy but none of these measures had been helpful. Findings on physical and neurological examinations were all within normal limits. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a retroperitoneal mass lesion medial to the right psoas muscle at the level of the S1 vertebra. The tumor was removed using an endoscopic transabdominal approach.

The endoscopic transabdominal approach is a safe, efficient and minimally invasive procedure compared to traditional methods also to remove retroperitoneal schwannomas in selected cases.