Giant Schwannoma of the Leg: Insights from a Rare Case Report
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Schwannomas are rare, slow-growing benign tumors arising from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath. They predominantly affect the head, neck, and upper extremities; lower limb involvement is uncommon, occurring in approximately 1% of cases. Tumors exceeding 5 cm are classified as giant schwannomas and carry an even more unusual clinical profile. We report a 60-year-old male who presented with a 10-year history of insidious, gradually enlarging swelling over the anterolateral aspect of the left leg. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a well-encapsulated intermuscular lesion with benign characteristics. Surgical excision revealed a well-encapsulated growth arising from a muscular branch of the anterior tibial nerve. Histopathological examination confirmed a giant schwannoma. The patient achieved complete symptomatic relief and returned to normal activities within 3 weeks of surgery, with no evidence of recurrence at 6-month follow-up. Giant schwannomas of the lower limb are rare. Meticulous surgical excision, with maximal nerve preservation, yields excellent functional outcomes even for large tumors. Clinicians should maintain awareness of giant schwannoma as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with long-standing, slow-growing soft tissue swellings of the lower limb, particularly when imaging suggests a well-encapsulated, benign intermuscular lesion. This case highlights that a giant schwannoma arising from a motor nerve branch of the anterior tibial nerve an exceptionally rare anatomical location, can present without classical neurological symptoms, can be reliably characterized by ultrasound and MRI without pre-operative biopsy, and can be treated with complete surgical excision yielding full functional recovery and no evidence of recurrence at 6 months, thereby demonstrating that tumor size alone does not predict poor outcome.
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204902007