Lipoma Flashcards
What is a lipoma`
A benign tumour consisting of mature fat cells
What are the features of a lipoma
Commonly occur in the subcutaneous layer - particularly the neck and trunk
Discoid or hemispherical swelling
Lobulated surface
May be soft or firm
May show fluctuation - if soft and large in size
‘Slip sign’
Skin freely mobile over the lipoma
If the lipoma is intramuscular, it disappears on contraction of the relevant muscle
What is the ‘slip sign’
The way in which a lipoma tends to slip away from the examining finger on gentle pressure
What is adiposis dolorosa (or Dercum’s disease)
Multiple, painful lipomas
Associated with peripheral neuropathy
Do lipomas undergo malignant change
No
*Liposarcomas arise de novo
Who typically gets liposarcomas
Older age groups
In deeper tissues of the lower limbs
How do you treat a lipoma
Non-surgical:
- Reassure and ‘watch and wait’
Surgical:
- Suction lipolysis
What are some variants of lipomas
Angiolipomas
Hibernomas
What are angiolipomas
Lipomas with a prominent vascular component
What are hibernomas
Lipomas consisting of brown fat cells
What syndrome is associated with lipomas
Bannayan-Zonana syndrome
what is Bannayan-Zonana syndrome
Rare autosomal dominant hamartomatous disorder
Characterized by:
- Multiple lipomas
- Macrocephaly
- Haemangiomas
How are liposarcomas classified
They can be classified into 3 main groups:
- Well-differentiated
- Myxoid and round cell liposarcome
- Pleomorphic liposarcoma
