Dorsal dumb-bell melanotic schwannoma operated on by posterior and anterior approach: case report and a review of the literature.

The schwannomas are benign tumors originating from Schwann cells which constitute the nerve sheath. The dorsal pigmented type of schwannomas is relatively rare (Goldstein in Am J Med Genet 86:62-65, 2004; Kurtkaya-Yapicier in Histol Histopathol 18(3):925-934, 2003). There are two distinct types of melanotic schwannoma: the sporadic melanotic schwannomas and the psammomatous melanotic schwannomas of Carney complex. We report a case of a patient harboring a right dorsal dumb-bell melanotic schwannoma and left adrenal mass. The patient underwent a surgical procedure for en bloc total removal of the mass by a posterior and anterior approach. Histopathological examination revealed the diagnosis of melanotic schwannoma. At present, we have no reliable marker of histopathological malignancy of melanotic schwannoma so the follow-up period ought to continue for a period of more than 5 years. As the total removal of the melanotic neurinomas is mandatory to prevent possible malignant transformation of the tumor recurrence or regrowth, we believe that the posterior and trans-thoracic approach are the most suitable one for the dorsal dumb-bell schwannoma.