L1 Nerve Root Ganglioneuroma: Surgical Tip on excising this Well-Differentiated and Rarely Appreciated Tumor

Ganglioneuroma (GN) is a rare benign tumor of neural crest origin mostly found in the abdomen, but may occasionally present at sites including the cervical, lumbar, or sacral spine. GN of lumbar spine is a rare occurrence. A 52-year-old man presented with GN in the L1 nerve root, who underwent successful resection of the tumor and stabilization of spine using a single posterior approach. GN should be considered as a differential in any case of paraspinal mass. A high index of clinical suspicion and correlation with radiological findings is necessary in differentiating a large benign tumor from a malignant growth. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice; however, the approach to the mass is dictated by the tumor size and location.