LIPOMA

This is a benign tumour of the fatty tissue under the skin and is very common. It can occur anywhere under the skin in the body. Typically one notices a lump under the skin. Often it is hard to define exactly where the lump ends as the lipoma is irregularly shaped.

Multiple lipomatosis (Decrum's disease) - some people develop multiple lipomas all over the body. There is a genetic predisposition for this.

Angiolipoma - this is usually a lipoma with a prominent vascular component. It is usually painful as well.

Atypical lipoma / well-differentiated liposarcoma - Any deep lipoma or lipoma >5cm should raise one's suspicion. Often occuring in the extemities. MRI findings include thickened/fibrous septa(>2mm) , associated non-fatty masses, prominent foci of high T2 signal, prominent areas of enhancement. Surgery is by wide local excision and long term follow-up is required.

Other variants of a lipoma:

Chondroid lipoma - has cartilaginous elements as well

Osteolipoma - has bony elements within it

Lipoleiomyoma - has smooth muscle elements within it as well

Hibernoma - Lipoma arising from brown fat(morphogically similar to the fat of hibernating animals)(uncommon)

Surgery

Generally most lipomas under 5cm can be excised under local anaesthesia. Larger lipomas may require excision under general anaesthesia.

Risks of Surgery

1. Recurrence - the lipoma may come back in future

2. Wound problems - infection, breakdown, scarring