Lipoma on the neck

definition

A lipoma is a benign tumor that develops from fat tissue or fat cells (adipocytes). It is usually enclosed in a capsule made of connective tissue, which means that it is well separated from the surrounding tissue and can therefore be moved easily. Lipomas belong to the group of soft tissue tumors. They are usually located in the subcutaneous fatty tissue directly under the skin or subcutaneously (sub: below; kutis: Skin). However, sometimes they can also be localized in internal organs or muscles. There, too, they merely represent a benign overgrowth of the fatty tissue. If several lipomas appear on different parts of the body at the same time, this is known as lipomatosis.

causes

The causes for the development of lipomas are so far unexplained. A connection to Lipid metabolic diseases how Diabetes mellitus or one Hypercholesterolemia (increased Cholesterol levels) could not yet be scientifically proven.

In the context of certain Hereditary diseases Lipomas can occur, but then mostly spread over the whole body, such as in the Lipomatosis dolorosa or the Neurofibromatosis. In contrast to the lipomas that occur in isolation, lipomas are usually found in these diseases painful or go with others Complications hand in hand.

A rare form of lipomatosis is the so-called Madelung syndrome. This is a symmetrical increase in fat tissue in the neck, neck and shoulder area. This disease usually occurs Middle-aged men on, but the causes for the occurrence are largely unexplained. Just the connection to increased consumption of alcohol is being discussed.

Another cause of a lipoma in the neck can be something called a Granular cell lipoma be. The term becomes synonymous Hybernoma used. This is the Increase in brown adipose tissue, which originates from the early embryonic period and occurs preferentially in adults.

frequency

There are no exact figures for the frequency of occurrence of lipomas, but it is a fairly common disease. It is estimated that two to three for every 100 people affected by it. These are mostly between 30 and 60 years old. Lipomas are not common in children.

In principle, lipomas can occur wherever adipose tissue is naturally present. Often they are like in the trunk area shoulder, move, Flanks or belly localized. But also in Head and neck area or at Poor and Legs isolated lipomas can often occur.

All in all men are affected slightly more often than womenif you look at the lipomas as a whole. A The exception is certainly lipomas in the chest area because men naturally have less fatty tissue than women in this part of the body.

Symptoms

Most lipomas have no particular symptoms. They are merely as Knob under the skin to palpate and usually soft and movable. They usually prepare no pain. Symptoms can only occur in certain situations, such as direct pressure or certain movements in which the lipoma is stretched or pressed.

If the lipoma is located in the neck area, it can cause certain symptoms under certain circumstances and depending on its size. For example, it can be with a large diameter press on vessels and / or nerves and thus to complaints like Pain, Paresthesia, tingle or even Convulsions to lead. Also the Range of motion of the neck muscles can thereby limited become.

Very large or rapidly growing lipomas can sometimes trigger a feeling of tension in those affected, which is also potentially associated with it a headache up to outright headache attacks can go hand in hand.

But it can also be that larger lipomas in the neck, often in the collar area of ​​clothes, are exposed to increased mechanical irritation and themselves ignite.

In such cases, however, the mechanical impairment is already so great that removal of the lipoma should be recommended.

• Lipoma symptoms
• Lipoma pain

diagnosis

The size of lipomas can vary widely, the longest diameter can be anywhere from one to more than ten centimeters. But mostly lipomas are under five centimeters tall, when they are discovered and grow very slowly.

Depending on the size, the respective tactile findings can then also be found. When touching a knob under the skin for the first time, a doctor should be consulted promptly in order to clarify this and, if necessary, a malignant one tumor to be able to exclude. The doctor then assesses the tumor based on certain criteria like that Movability, of the consistency or the Delimitation from the surrounding tissue and may request another imaging. On the one hand, this can be done by means of Ultrasonic, one X-ray or even by means of Nuclear spin (MRI) - or Computed Tomography (CT) can be performed. The ultrasound particularly shows lipomas in the subcutaneous fatty tissue that are not very deep. If so, the doctor can use this method to distinguish a lipoma from other cyst-like tumors.

If the findings cannot be clearly diagnosed using imaging either, a Tissue sample can be removed to this subsequently Under the microscope to be able to judge precisely. This is the procedure by which one can judge the malignancy of the tumor with absolute certainty.

Therapy and removal of a lipoma

The ordinary Lipoma does not require any further therapy. Only if it disturbs the person visually, is located in a part of the body where it causes pain or is very large, it can operational to be removed (see: Operation of a lipoma).

Other methods like Change in diet, massage or special Creams have not been scientifically proven to prevent the formation of lipomas or to remove them.

If the lipoma is in the subcutaneous fatty tissue, it can usually be local Anesthesia by a surgeon be cut out. In this case, only a small skin incision is made over the fat tumor, this is pressed out and then the overlying one skin sewn again. In addition, it makes sense to have one after the operation Printing compound and possibly one drainage to put on for a few days. However, this type of surgery usually leaves one behind scarwhich may be more visible than the original lipoma.

Another method that can be used on smaller lipomas is that Suction or Liposuction. While this leaves smaller scars, it is more difficult to remove all of the lipoma tissue. If a residue of a lipoma remains in the body, the risk of a recurrence, i.e. a recurrence of a lipoma at this point, is increased.

In the case of particularly large lipomas that are deeper or even in the abdominal cavity, an operation under general anesthesia is usually necessary.

As with any other operation, there are certain risks and complications that can arise for minor procedures under local anesthesia. On the one hand, this includes a possible Bleeding, Injury to neighboring structures or the Infection of the wound. However, if the procedure is carried out under hygienic conditions and by an experienced doctor, the overall risk of the complications mentioned is relatively low. In the case of an operation under general anesthesia, additional factors must be taken into account, but these should be clarified again in each individual case.

However, if the lipoma is large, im neck-neck-Area that is already causing discomfort, the indication for surgical removal is usually given, since it is precisely in this area of ​​the body that vital conduction pathways run that must not be pinched off under any circumstances.

forecast

Lipomas usually have one very good prognosis. They just degenerate very rarely in malignant tumors and due to their small size and slow growth they are usually not associated with any further impairments. However, if they are visually annoying, lipomas can usually problem-free and can be completely removed in a very small, usually outpatient procedure.

Larger lipomas in the neck, on the other hand, can only be in general anesthetic must be removed, but this must always be clarified on a case-by-case basis and the symptoms and complications in the event of a possible further increase in size of the lipoma must be compared.