Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Adrenal ganglioneuroma
Pedro Carrión López1, Jesús Martínez Ruiz, Carlos Martínez Sanchiz
1Urology Department, Hospital General Albacete, Albacete, Spain. pedrocarrion1980@hotmail.com
Objective:
To present one case of adrenal ganglioneuroma incidentally diagnosed in an adult.
Methods/Results:
44-year-old woman with a 2.3 cm incidentaloma in the left adrenal gland diagnosed by CT scan. At 6 months, MRI was performed and a left adrenal nodule 3.7 cm was shown. Due to the progressive growth of the mass, surgery was indicated and left laparoscopic adrenalectomy was carried out. The final pathologic diagnosis was adrenal ganglioneuroma.
Conclusions:
The ganglioneuroma is a tumor composed of Schwann cells and ganglion cells. Its location in the adrenal gland is unusual, most frequently affecting other regions. Being asymptomatic lesions, they are often detected incidentally when performing imaging tests. There are radiological features that differentiate them from other adrenal masses. The treatment of choice is surgery, with adrenalectomy.
Related Concept Videos
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
Sympathetic Pathways: Collateral Ganglia and Adrenal Medulla
Collateral Ganglia
Sympathetic preganglionic axons reach the collateral ganglia along the route of splanchnic nerves. These nerves bypass the sympathetic trunk and communicate with sympathetic postganglionic neurons housed in the prevertebral ganglia. These ganglia supply the organs of the abdominopelvic cavity.
The greater splanchnic nerve, formed by the...
Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands
These glands possess a distinctive yellow tinge due to the stored cholesterol and fatty acids required for hormone synthesis. They are encased in a fibrous capsule and cushioned by fat.
The adrenal gland comprises two distinct regions...
Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Stimulants
Ganglionic stimulants activate NM nicotinic receptors in autonomic ganglia, falling into two categories: nicotine mimetics [e.g., lobeline, dimethylpiperazine, tetramethylammonium] and muscarinic receptor agonists [e.g., muscarine, methacholine]. The first category's action is rapid and blocked by nicotinic receptor antagonists, while the second category's action is delayed and blocked by atropine-like agents. Nicotine, an alkaloid, affects the heart rate by stimulating sympathetic or...
Peripheral Nervous System: Ganglia and Nerves
Nerves
The nerve is a bundle of axons that serves as the communication highway in the PNS. Each nerve is ensheathed in a protective layer of connective tissue called the epineurium. This outermost layer safeguards the nerve and supports the...
Sympathetic Division of the ANS
Originating in the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord segments, the preganglionic fibers of the sympathetic division exit the spinal cord through the white ramus communicans. They then enter the sympathetic...