Asymptomatic Ileal Schwannoma presenting as a Mesenteric Tumour: Case report and review of literature

Abstract

A schwannoma is a benign tumour which arises from the schwann cells of the central or peripheral nervous system. Common sites include the head and limbs; it is rare that this tumour arises from the gastrointestinal tract's neural plexus. It is even rarer to find the ileum as the site of origin. We report a patient who presented with a central abdominal mass which was preoperatively diagnosed as a mesenteric tumour. However, immunohistochemistry of the surgically-removed specimen proved it to be a benign ileal schwannoma.

Keywords: Abdomen; Case Report; Ileal Neoplasms; Mesenteric Cyst; Neurilemmoma; Oman; Schwann Cells, abnormalities.

Figure 1

A&B: Computerised tomography scans, from the axial (A) and coronal (B) view, of the mass in the ileocaecal region without obstruction.

Figure 2:

The mass in the ileocaecal region.

Figure 3:

The top images show an unencapsulated spindle cell neoplasm involving the muscularispropria of the bowel wall (arrow). Under high magnification, it is formed of fascicles of bland spindle cells. The tumour cells are positive for S-100 (lower left image) with darker staining nerve bundles highlighted. Neurospecific enolase is also positive (lower right image).