Giant adrenal ganglioneuroma: Case report and literature review

Adrenal ganglioneuroma is a benign tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, composed of gangliocytes and mature neural stroma. The tumor is asymptomatic in the majority of cases and mostly accidentally detected in diagnostic imaging due to health check. When the tumor is large, it causes the symptom such as abdominal pain or discomfort. We report a case of adrenal ganglioneuroma incidentally detected in a 25-year-old male patient. The physical examination and laboratory tests were in normal ranges. However, abdominal magnetic resonance imaging showed a large heterogeneous right adrenal mass measuring 16.8 x 14.1 cm. Histological examination of biopies confirmed an adrenal ganglioneuroma. A right adrenalectomy by laparotomy was carried out. The right renal artery was injured during the dissection of tumor and repaired with an end-to-end anastomosis. During postoperative period, the patient experienced a pleural effusion requiring a needle aspiration. No recurrence occurred during the 6-month follow-up.