Serendipitous Discovery of a Benign Obturator Nerve Schwannoma: A Case Report with a Brief Clinical Review

Schwannomas are typically benign tumours of the peripheral nerves. However, they seldom arise from the obturator nerve. Here we report a case of an uncommon swelling (2.5 × 3.5cm) in a 65-year-old male cadaver which was found during the routine dissection for first MBBS students in the department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India in the month ofDecember 2019. It was seen originating from the left obturator nerve in the pelvis at the level of the sacral promontory. Histopathological investigation revealed a schwannoma. The hypocellular tumor was arranged in a sweeping fascicle pattern with patches of myxoid degeneration. Obturator schwannomas, though rarely seen, can exist in the cadaver, as seen in the present case. Hence, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis for clinical cases of pelvic masses and eliminated only after thorough radiological examination. Knowledge about the existence of such schwannomas is, therefore, a must. Keywords: Schwannoma, Obturator nerves, neurilemmoma, nerve sheath neoplasms.