A CASE REPORT OF RETROPERITONEAL GANGLIONEUROMA

A 27-year-old female was admitted with fever and abdominal pain. She was diagnosed as having a tumor above the right kidney by computed tomoraphy. No endocrinological abnormality was recognized, so surgical removal of the tumor was performed. A cut surface of the tumor was yelowisch and revealed thin capsules. The histopathologcal diagnosis was a ganglioneuroma. Retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma is rare and only 62 cases including this case have been reported in Japan. The disease was predominant in females and patients between 2 and 20 years old were common. Abdominal pain and swelling were the main clinical symptoms. High values of VMA, HVA and VIP were observed in 11 of 12 patients youner than 6 years old. In all the cases, a strong concern with neuroblastoma or ganglioneuroblastoma was suggested. There were no cases diagnosed exactly before operation. The necessity of correct diagnosis for a surgical specimen was emphasized. Surgical treatment was performed in all cases, leading to satisfactory prognoses to them except one which showed a fatal recurrence.