Schwannoma: challenging diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the presentation of a schwannoma in a 30-year-old man and to discuss the clincial features of this tumor.

CLINICAL FEATURES

The patient had lower right back and abdominal pain that was made worse by any jarring motion. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an intradural extramedullary mass of the thoracic spine behind the T10 vertebral body, which was found to be a schwannoma.

INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME

A full laminectomy of T10 and partial laminectomies of T9 and T11 allowed removal of the tumor.

CONCLUSION

When undiagnosed abdominal pain is present, spinal tumor should be considered one possible diagnosis.