Schwannoma of the Ankle: A Case Report of a Rare Clinical Entity

A schwannoma is a soft tissue benign tumor that originates from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath. It is uncommon for it to occur in the foot. The tumor usually has an indolent presentation with a delayed diagnosis that may lead to irreversible nerve damage. The symptoms are related to the compression of the nerve due to the mass effect of the lesion. The authors report a case of a 62-year-old female with a history of breast cancer who was referred to the orthopedics department with pain in the dorsum of the right foot and a positive Tinel sign in the trajectory of the superficial peroneal nerve. The diagnosis of schwannoma of the superficial peroneal nerve was made, and the patient underwent surgery with complete resolution of symptoms. No deficits or recurrences were observed during the two-month follow-up period. The purpose of this report is to draw attention to the high index of suspicion and the need for a correct diagnosis for optimal clinical results.