Pelvic Schwannoma with Urinary Symptoms: A Case Report and Review of Articles

Schwannoma is a nerve sheath tumor that is often benign and slow-growing in nature and is solitary and encapsulated. This tumor can also originate in any peripheral nerve that contains Schwann cells. Schwannoma rarely occurs in retroperitoneum and its prevalence is 2% of retroperitoneal masses and malignant types are rare. This tumor is not normally invasive. Accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult, and the surgeon may experience damage to blood vessels, nerves, or organs during surgery, because the findings of surgery are different. Diagnosis and treatment of schwannoma in retroperitoneum is more challenging. In addition, the prognosis of malignant schwannoma is very poor.

Case report:

 The patient was a 35-years- old woman who was first presented with vague pelvic pain by radiation to back and frequency and difficult urination since a year before. CT scan report showed pelvic mass and needle biopsy result was benign spindle cell neoplasm that underwent total surgical resection by sympathetic chain saving and the final diagnosis was schwannoma.

Retroperitoneal masses should be considered in every patient by abdominal and back pain and urinary symptoms.