Diaphragmatic eventration : an uncommon presentation of a phrenic nerve schwannoma.

We describe a patient who presented with a left lower lobe lung lesion suspicious for cancer with possible hilar involvement. Intraoperatively, we found a primary left phrenic nerve tumor, diaphragmatic eventration, and left lower lobe atelectasis. He was successfully treated with total excision of the tumor and plication of the diaphragm. Histopathology was consistent with schwannoma of the phrenic nerve. Diaphragmatic eventration is an uncommon presentation of a phrenic nerve schwannoma, which is itself a rarely occurring tumor. Surgical resection of the tumor and diaphragmatic plication is the primary modality of management in these patients.