Adrenal Ganglioneuroma: A Rare Tumor of the Autonomic Nervous System.

Mark Burroughs,Omar Viswanath,Ivan Urits,Alan D Kaye,Jamal Hasoon

doi:10.7759/cureus.12398

Abstract

Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are benign, differentiated tumors that are derived from neural crest sympathogonia. They can be found anywhere in the body along autonomic ganglia. These tumors are seen most often in individuals over 10 years of age and are usually asymptomatic. However, GNs can grow large and cause symptoms due to mass effect. GNs are rarely located within the suprarenal gland and are benign tumors that are often diagnosed late in their course due to mass effect or found incidentally on imaging studies. We describe a case of a 22-year-old female who presented to clinic with vague abdominal pain. She underwent an extensive workup which ultimately revealed a rare presentation of a left suprarenal GN that required surgical removal. She underwent an extensive workup which ultimately revealed a left suprarenal GN that required surgical removal. The patient underwent laparotomy and surgical excision of the mass and made a full recovery.

Highlights

Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are benign, differentiated tumors that are derived from neural crest sympathogonia
GNs are rarely located within the suprarenal gland and are benign tumors that are often diagnosed late in their course due to mass effect or found incidentally on imaging studies
We describe a case of a 22-year-old female who presented to clinic with vague abdominal pain that did not respond to conservative treatment

Summary

Introduction

Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are benign, differentiated tumors that are derived from neural crest sympathogonia. A 22-year-old female with no significant past medical history presented to clinic for evaluation of vague abdominal pain. She reported a history of progressively worsening pain in the epigastric region along with nausea and bloating that had been ongoing for the past two months. She had been followed by her primary care physician and reported minimal response to over-the-counter analgesics including acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antacids. The yellow arrow demonstrates a large suprarenal mass causing displacement of adjacent structures. The yellow arrow demonstrates a large mass causing displacement of adjacent structures.

Discussion

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