Surgical removal of a lipoma is a classic in the genre of neutralizing formations that are localized in fatty tissue. Despite the fact that the technique is the oldest used in medicine, it is actively in demand even today.
This commitment is explained by the fact that surgical removal is an effective method, which is confirmed not only by official medicine, but also by numerous patients. All of them were satisfied with the results obtained, especially considering that the price of the intervention remains affordable compared to alternative technologies.
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Removal of lipoma more than 3 cm
7000 ₽
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Removal of lipoma up to 3 cm
4000 ₽
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Lipoma is the most common soft tissue tumor and consists of fat cells surrounded by a thin fibrous capsule. Popularly, such a neoplasm is called a wen.
Often, a person who is attentive to his body may stumble upon such a subcutaneous formation. Such a finding can cause, at a minimum, caution, and sometimes fear of the oncological process. The unknown is always scary. If you have any concerns, you should consult your doctor. In most cases, subcutaneous neoplasms in soft tissues are benign and do not pose a threat to the owner of the wen. However, lipomas still require the supervision of a specialist who must recognize a malignant process, if one occurs.
Peculiar red flags, signs that make you wary, are rapid tumor growth, pain, and the presence of two or more similar formations on the body.
By external signs, lipoma is little distinguishable from liposarcoma, hygroma, subcutaneous cyst, hematoma, parasitic invasion, inflammation or consequences of injury. Therefore, it is important that any neoplasms be examined by a doctor.
First of all, the question of the malignancy of the tumor is decided at the appointment. Liposarcoma occurs more often in middle-aged and elderly people. This is an aggressive and fast-growing tumor that can put pressure on surrounding organs and tissues and cause pain. Situations when an existing lipoma degenerates into a malignant tumor rarely occur. However, the oncological process requires a radically different approach to diagnosis and treatment, so it is important to diagnose it as early as possible.
Lipomas may have a hereditary predisposition. This fact, combined with the spread of wen to other parts of the body, makes the doctor suspect lipomatosis. Lipomatosis accompanies a number of hereditary syndromes such as Madelung's disease and Dercum's syndrome. Diseases with a family history require a special approach to therapy.
When should lipomas be removed?
Most often, patients are interested in the question of whether lipomas should be removed immediately and whether it is possible to do without surgery.
It should be remembered that a lipoma is a benign formation that does not grow into the surrounding tissue. However, the problem is different: these formations tend to increase in size over time. At the same time, the lipoma “pushes apart” the tissues and organs located nearby in order to “win” a place for itself. Due to the pressure in them, metabolism can be disrupted, which is fraught with unpleasant consequences and pain.
In some cases, lipoma removal cannot be delayed. You should immediately consult a doctor if the wen has changed in appearance or you begin to feel physical discomfort. Redness of the skin over the lipoma, itching or peeling should also alert you.
Doctors recommend removing lipomas if they grow near a cluster of blood vessels or nerve cells. It is also better to “play it safe” and cut out a formation that is located in the so-called “high trauma zone” - in other words, in an area that is often exposed to external influences.
Reasons for appearance
There are many factors that influence the formation of lipomas. Among the reasons are hereditary predisposition, impaired metabolism of fatty acids in the body, liver disease, pancreatic disease, non-compliance or violation of hygiene rules.
For a long time it was believed that soft tissue injury predisposes to the development of lipomas, but this fact was subsequently refuted in research. Thus, doctors agree that one reason that would explain all the processes has not yet been found. However, predisposition to gastrointestinal lipomas has a proven connection with a gene mutation on chromosome 12. In other cases, the reasons remain unknown.
Why do lipomas occur?
To date, scientists have not been able to come to a consensus on why lipomas develop and why multiple lipomas are more common rather than single formations. Lipomatosis has nothing to do with the patient’s weight category or the amount of subcutaneous fat in his body, since formations can appear even in very slender people.
According to researchers, the appearance of wen is associated with a genetic predisposition. It can also be triggered by metabolic disorders in the body, hormonal imbalance, or thyroid disease. Some scientists are convinced that wen occurs due to malfunctions of the gallbladder and liver, as well as due to slagging in the body.
Symptoms and classification
Lipomas are distinguished by anatomical location into lipomas of the head, face and neck, lipomas of the trunk, extremities, chest (mediastinum), mammary gland, gastrointestinal tract, internal organs, retroperitoneal tissue, spermatic cord. There are also rare localizations in the myocardium, lungs, and meninges.
Another classification of adipose tissue tumors involves a clinical division:
- Lipoma surrounding nerve structures is called perineural . Due to compression of the nerves it can cause severe pain. Removal of perineural lipomas differs from subcutaneous lipomas and requires a highly qualified surgeon;
- A tumor growing in the spinal canal (usually in the lumbar region) is called lumbosacral lipoma; Mostly occurs in children and is combined with underdevelopment of spinal structures;
- Lipoma of the joint and its structures (synovium, vagina, tendons);
- Intermuscular lipomas are formed from areas of adipose tissue between muscle fibers;
- Angiomyolipoma is a tumor of fatty and muscle tissue, which in most cases grows in the kidneys and pancreas. Middle-aged and mature men are more predisposed to its formation;
- Subcutaneous lipoma is a formation of varying sizes in the subcutaneous fat tissue. In everyday life it is usually called wen.
Lipomas usually occur alone. However, some patients discover several tumors at once. Such cases are most often associated with hereditary diseases and require careful study by specialists. The most common places for lipomas to form are the neck, back and limbs.
A subcutaneous lipoma is a mobile, elastic seal in the form of a lump or ball, which does not cause pain when pressed. A neoplasm can cause pain if it grows beyond its capsule into healthy tissue or due to compression of adjacent nerves.
For example, a wen located on the head can cause headaches, and the same formation on the neck can cause hoarseness and difficulty swallowing.
Gastrointestinal lipomas differ from their subcutaneous counterparts. Small formations in the intestine do not cause symptoms and are often discovered incidentally during an instrumental examination of the gastrointestinal tract. However, if it increases in size, this happens when the tumor reaches 2 or more centimeters in diameter, the lipoma can block part of the intestinal lumen and cause intestinal obstruction, intussusception, stool problems, abdominal pain and even bleeding.
Prevention
To exclude the possibility of the appearance of benign fatty tumors, at a minimum, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is required. It is necessary to exclude bad habits and factors that can provoke changes in adipose tissue (stress, increased blood sugar). During hormone therapy or if you suspect a hormonal imbalance, you need to monitor your hormonal levels under the supervision of an endocrinologist. It is very important to periodically carefully examine and palpate the skin to prevent the appearance of neoplasms. To do this, you can involve relatives and close people. If you identify nodes, compactions, infiltrates, lumps or other formations, consult a surgeon. Don't delay.
Treatment methods
The treatment method is selected based on the location of the tumor, size and medical history of the patient. First of all, the doctor must make sure that the patient’s neoplasm is benign. To do this, the doctor carefully examines the patient, collects anamnesis and, if necessary, refers him to the necessary tests. For the differential diagnosis of lipomas, ultrasound examination of soft tissues, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging are used and, if a malignant tumor is suspected, a tumor biopsy is taken.
The most common type of tumor from adipose tissue is a subcutaneous lipoma, which does not cause dysfunction of organs, systems and does not threaten the patient’s life, and removal is performed only for cosmetic purposes.
Also, indications for surgical treatment of lipoma are large tumor sizes, 5 cm or more, and the presence of symptoms caused by the tumor.
There is no effective conservative treatment for lipomas. It is also worth noting that traditional methods such as heating and applying ice do not affect tumors from adipose tissue. However, they can cause serious complications if the neoplasm is of a different nature. For example, when atheroma is heated (atheroma is an accumulation of sebaceous secretion that clogs the duct of the sebaceous gland and causes inflammation), inflammation may spread and infect healthy tissues that are nearby.
Among the surgical methods for treating lipomas are:
- lipoma excision
- liposuction
- laser removal
- endoscopic method (for gastrointestinal lipomas)
Lipomatosis
When there are many lipomas (up to 100 or more), the disease is called lipomatosis.
Varieties:
- multiple, familial or Rocha-Lori
- multiple symmetrical or Madelunga
- painful or Dercuma
Advantages and disadvantages of various methods
- Lipoma excision.
Excision of a lipoma is the simplest and most affordable way to remove a wen. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon injects the lipoma with an anesthetic and removes the tumor along with the capsule through an incision in the skin. Removal of the fibrous capsule is an undeniable advantage of this method. This prevents the re-formation of lipoma in the old place, which means it reduces the risk of relapse to a minimum. This method also allows one to examine the histological structure of the tumor. In general, the operation lasts no more than half an hour.
- Liposuction.
Liposuction allows the tumor to be removed through a small hole. A special device is inserted into the cavity of the wen, which destroys the lipoma. Many doctors and patients love this method for its minimal invasiveness and good cosmetic results. However, the disadvantage is the inability to remove the fibrous capsule of the wen, which creates the possibility of future relapse of the tumor.
- Laser removal.
Laser techniques are used to eliminate tumors larger than 3 cm. The method is gentle, carries minimal risks of bleeding and infection, and does not leave wounds or scars.
How atheroma is removed at the Platinental clinic
Platinental doctors have all the latest methods for removing atheroma in their arsenal. Depending on the indications, we use the following methods:
- surgical excision with a scalpel. In our work, we use tools made in Europe and the USA: their graphite nanospraying prevents the formation of scars;
- removal of atheroma using the radio wave method;
- laser removal of atheromas.
Expert opinion
“It is worth noting that not a single scheme of these three
cannot be considered worse or better than another.
The main task of the surgeon is to use one method or another to ensure a neat incision and completely remove the atheroma from under the skin without damaging it. The technique is chosen individually each time.
Specialized plastic surgery centers such as Platinental offer not only painless removal with a variety of methods to choose from.
Modern techniques allow me to do without stitches at all in 90% of cases.
«.
Maxim Vasiliev, plastic surgeon.
Preparation for the procedure
In case of subcutaneous lipoma removal, no special preparation is required. The mini-surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, meaning it does not require hospitalization. The surgeon performs all necessary manipulations under local anesthesia. Thus, the procedure is painless for the patient.
Giant subcutaneous lipomas, as well as neoplasms of the intestines, internal organs, and peritoneum require more serious and thorough preparation. Operations of this type are carried out with hospitalization of the patient. Before the intervention, samples are taken and, if necessary, additional studies are done. Operations performed under general anesthesia require restriction of water and food on the eve of the operation.
Photos "before" - "after"
Removal of a large lipoma. There is no need to wait and grow a lipoma to a large size; a small lipoma is easier to remove and the operation is less traumatic. Performed by surgeon: Gladysheva Vladislava.
Surgical removal of back atheroma. “Before” and on the 8th day after surgery: the suture is removed. Surgeon - Vasiliev Maxim.
