Melanotic schwannoma of the sympathetic ganglia: A histologic,immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study

We describe the case of a 46-year-old male patient who presented withpain in the left thigh, often accompanied by lumbar pain. These symptomswere sustained by a neoplasm, which was located in the sympathetic ganglia,at the level of the 3rd left lumbar spinal root and which was completelyexcised. Immunohistochemical positivity for S100, HMB45, and NSE antibodiessuggested that the lesion was a melanotic schwannoma (MS), with bothschwannian and melanocytic differentiations, the latter containingmelanosomes at ultrastructural examination. Non-recurrence after 16 monthsof follow-up further supports our diagnosis of MS.