A clinicopathological study of lipomas of the head and neck

Abstract

Background: Lipoma of the head and neck region are fairly common.


Methods: This twelve year retrospective study evaluated thirty-nine cases of head and neck lipomas in Nigerians.


Results: They constituted 14.4% of benign tumours of the head and neck region and 17.6% of total body lipomas seen within the study period. There were two peaks in the age distribution with patients in the fifth and seventh decades of life recording the highest number of cases. More males were affected with a male-female ratio of 2:1. Most cases (33.3%) were seen in the neck, followed by the scalp (23.1%). Only one intra oral case presenting on the tongue was recorded. The two patients with multiple lipomas were negative for associated systemic disease. Two histological variants were seen (conventional and fibrolipoma).


Conclusion: Tumours of adipose tissue are common head and neck neoplasms. While conventional lipomas are the commonest histological variants, the diagnosis of these lesions may be arrived at from clinical presentations supplemented with histological examinations. Treatment by surgical excision (lipectomy) produces satisfactory results.


(Nig J Surg Res 2003; 5; 12 – 17)


Key words: Head and neck, lipomas