Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Resection of a Schwannoma Arising from the Nerve Plexus Around the Celiac Artery—A Case Report—

Abstract

Following surgery for nasal cancer, a 52-year-old male was found to have a 15 mm retroperitoneal tumor in the para-aortic region, identifie on a computed tomography scan. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle aspiration biopsy of the tumor revealed it as schwannoma. As the tumor gradually increased in size, the patient was referred to our department for surgical resection. We planned laparoscopic tumor resection using the retroperitoneal approach because the tumor was located on the dorsal side of the pancreas and was in contact with the root of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. We safely dissected around the tumor using five retroperitoneoscopic ports, securing a good surgical field by mobilizing the left kidney through the posterior and anterior pararenal spaces. The tumor was connected to the plexus around the celiac artery and was thought to have derived from the same. We report a rare case of a schwannoma arising from the peritoneal plexus around the celiac artery, for which we selected the laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach to safely resect the tumor based on its location and size.