Ectopic adrenal tissue in the spermatic cord. Case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Ectopic adrenal tissue is a not uncommon clinical finding, especially in children. These aberrant rests have been reported in various locations, such as kidney, testis and related structures, female genital tract and supradiaphragmatic region. The most common site in the male genital district is the spermatic cord. We report a case of ectopic adrenal in the spermatic cord, occasionally found in an asymptomatic 42-years-old man. No other pathologic condition of urogenital tract was present. The nodule measured 0.5 cm in diameter and was histologically arranged in three well defined layers, with predominance of the zona fasciculata. No adrenal medullary tissue was observed. The pathogenesis of this ectopic tissue near the testis can be explained by the embryologic relationship between adrenal cortex and the gonad. Finally, we reviewed the relevant literature and the main clinical implications of this condition.