A Case of Extra-adrenal Retroperitoneal Ganglioneuroma in a 9-year-old Female: A New Case Report with a Comprehensive Literature Review

Abstract

Objective – We present herein a new case and survey comprehensively literature on this rare condition.

Case report – A 9-year- old girl with a medical history of surgical correction of clubfoot three months earlier presented to our department with an inci- dentally detected abdominal mass during diagnostic workup for orthopedic surgery. A CT scan revealed a solid right extra-adrenal mass measuring 7×6 cm. It was compressing/involving the infrahepatic part of inferior vena cava, right renal vein and artery with an incomplete encasing of the abdominal aorta. The surgery was successfully performed. The histopathological analysis confirmed GN.

Conclusions – Although pediatric extra-adrenal retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma (GN) are rare, their propensity for envelop- ing major blood vessels is not. GNs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any circumscribed retroperitoneal mass. These tumors can be successfully treated with surgery that leads to an excellent outcome, even in case of incomplete resections with tumor residuals <2 cm.