A Case of Gastrointestinal Autonomic Nerve Tumor of the Ileum

Jun Takatsuka, Takashi Ishii, Ze-An Zhang^*, Macaru Tuchiya, Heiichiro Higo, Shigeki Wakamatsu, Nagato Shimada, Tadaaki Shiba and Michio Akima^*

Department of Surgery II, Department of Pathology I^*, Toho University School of Medicine

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve (GAN) tumors, also known as plexosarcomas, are a rare distinct subtype of the gastrointestinal stromal tumors. We experienced a case of small bowel GAN tumor diagnosed with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examination. A 46-year-old woman complained of abdominal pain and body weight loss. Ultrasonographic examination and computed tomography showed a solid tumor in the ileum. Superior mesenteric arteriography showed a well stained tumor at the furcation of the ileac artery. An operation was performed after a diagnosis of an ileum tumor. Immunohistochemical examination revealed positive staining for vimentin, neuron specific enolase, synaptophysin, S-100 protein and neurofilament. Ultrastructural examination revealed neurosecretory granules and rudimentary cell junctions. These findings were consistent with those of GAN tumors Four cases of GAN tumors have been described in the literature, but our case is the first one of GAN tumors of the ileum in Japan.

Key words
gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumor, plexosarcoma, ileum

Reprint requests
Jun Takatsuka Department of Surgery II, Toho University School of Medicine 6-11-1 Ohmorinishi, Ohtaku, Tokyo, 143-8541 JAPAN

Accepted
January 27, 1999

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