Treatment of a lipoma

• Synonyms in a broader sense

Synonyms in a broader sense

Adipose tissue tumor, fat, tumor, skin, adipose tissue growth

English: lipoma, fatty tumor, adipose tumor

Does a lipoma need to be removed?

Lipomas are harmless benign growths of adipose tissue cells that usually do not cause any symptoms to the patient (see: Lipoma Symptoms). Therefore, the medical need to treat lipoma is extremely rare. Therapy is usually carried out at the request of the patient, who sees the lipoma as a cosmetic impairment.

In addition to lipomas, there are also so-called pie-drawn nodules - fat nodules that develop under high pressure - which must be clearly delimited.
For more information, read our article: Peeled Nodules - How Dangerous Are They?

Surgical removal

The therapy of choice is this surgical removal a lipoma. Reasons for a Operation of the lipoma:

• Lipomas, due to their conspicuous position disturb optically
• Lipomas, the one More than 5cm in diameter to have,
• Adipose growths due to their location Symptoms cause (for example by clicking on a annoy press whereby Sensory disturbances can arise, press on a tendon, what Pain may cause or in the event of a Giant lipoms can even press in internal organs and influence their function)
• Lipoma that is not safe from the outside Liposarcoma, so one malignant tumor the adipose tissue cells, and the removal of which is used for histological clarification.

Most lipomas reside subcutaneous, so in Subcutaneous fatty tissue. Since they are so close to the surface of the skin and mostly through a capsule Well to be separated from the surrounding tissue is, their removal is in most cases relatively easy. With this “standard type” of lipoma, one is enough local anesthesia out. For this purpose the Narcotics directly above or just next to the lipoma in the skin injected and waited a few minutes before the affected area is completely free of pain and the operation can begin.

The surgeon places one Skin incision directly above the lipoma, which should roughly correspond in length to the structure to be removed. Then usually only one has to thin layer removed from fatty tissue before encountering the lipoma. This can then be more or less together with its capsule pushed out of the skin become. The next step must be the Blood vesselsthat supply the lipoma are clamped. If the Blood supply thus cut off it can then be cut out. If a lipoma should be quite large, it can be useful to put one in the cavity that is created drainage (for suction).

Unfortunately, there are of course also lipomas that not that easy removed can be. These include, for example, those fatty growths that are inside a body cavity are located. It is not uncommon for lipomas to appear in the Chest or abdominal cavity where on the one hand they are more difficult to reach from the outside and on the other hand they sometimes reach extraordinary sizes (lipomas from several kilos of weight removed from the abdominal cavity), which poses a greater challenge for the surgeon.
In such cases, local anesthesia is usually insufficient and the patient should be placed in a general anesthetic be moved. However, even smaller lipomas can sometimes be a difficult procedure when in direct contact with a nerve located or even in the nerve that must be spared during the operation to avoid complications and permanent damage.

It is also rare that a tumor that was initially diagnosed as a lipoma turns out to be a other tumor (for example as Hemangioma or as malicious Liposarcoma), which then requires another surgical removal procedure.

Aftercare

Following a uncomplicated procedure is under normal conditions, i.e. with small superficial lipomas, no specific aftercare necessary. The operation is usually done outpatient, the patient can practically go home again and is fully operational.
However, if it is a major intervention acted, especially when the lipoma was supplied via a larger vascular stalk that had to be tied and now that Risk for a Rebleeding the person who has been operated on should come back immediately after the operation do not burden too much and possibly one Printing compound or even get a stronger compression.

Disadvantage of the operation

A Disadvantage of the operation A lipoma is that following removal frequently scar persist, since yes until the Subcutaneous fatty tissue (or even lower). These can sometimes even more noticeable than the original lipoma, which is often a big disappointment, especially for those patients who have consented to an operation for cosmetic reasons. You should therefore absolutely beforehand informed of this fact become.

Liposuction of a ganglion

Another way to treat a lipoma is that Liposuction (Liposuction). This something newer procedures occurs especially with larger lipomas (larger than 4cm) are used, which have a soft consistency.
With lipomas with one higher proportion of connective tissuewho are therefore coarser, liposuction is hardly promising. Also at Lipomas on the hand or arm this method is rather not recommended because of the risk for a Nerve damage is too big.

The CannulasRequired for suction are introduced into the body through very small incisions in the skin, whereupon the suction can take place. In the meantime, this procedure has been further developed so that it is possible to remove even larger subcutaneous lipomas without leaving a dent under the skin afterwards. Another benefit is that only very small scars arise.

However, this method has two major disadvantages:
First, with liposuction, it is often not easy to do that Completely remove lipoma. However, if even single cells of the fatty tumor remain in the body, this increases this Risk for a Return of the tumor (= Tumor recurrence), which is in principle also given after an operation, but is much lower here.
Second, the cells are removed by suction mostly mechanically damagedwhich is actually not bad at first. But if you are one histological Investigation should be subjected to a Liposarcoma To be able to exclude arises a problem for the pathologist, since it is at all only a few intact cells that can be used for an assessment and these then sometimes look so changed that they can hardly be considered representative of the actual tumor tissue.

Treatment without surgery

Treatment of a lipoma can include radical surgical removal as well non-invasive or minimally invasive respectively. In the case of non-invasive or minimally invasive treatment measures, devices do not penetrate the body at all or only to a small extent and therefore cause less tissue damage and less pain in the patient after the operation compared to an operation.

Nowadays, there are some non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures available that make it possible to remove or at least reduce the size of a lipoma without surgery. An example of a minimally invasive procedure is the Injection lipolysis. In injection lipolysis, the Active ingredient Phosphatidylcholine, which is obtained from the soybean, is injected into the lipoma. This active ingredient causes the breakdown of fat cells in the lipoma and thereby leads to their reduction in size.

Non-invasive procedures that can be used to treat lipoma are the Lipolysis, i.e. the dissolution of fat, with the help of ultrasound, Radio waves and Laser light. In addition, various naturopathic approaches to treating a lipoma are possible. One approach is to stimulate the lymphatic system, since from a naturopathic point of view, disorders in the lymphatic system could play a role in the development of lipomas. Another naturopathic approach is the administration of infusions that contain vitamins and trace elements to compensate for deficiencies in the body, which could lead to diseases, including lipomas.

Treatment with ultrasound

The treatment of a lipoma can be done using ultrasonic lipolysis. This means the dissolution of fat with the help of ultrasonic waves. A massage device that emits ultrasound waves is placed on the lipoma. These ultrasonic waves are supposed to destroy the fat cells in the lipoma. The remains of the destroyed fat cells are then transported away via the lymphatic system. Depending on the size of the lipoma, several sessions may be necessary. Ultrasonic lipolysis is a non-invasive procedure. This means that with this procedure no devices penetrate the body and such Complications like infection or Bleedingas they can occur, for example, during the surgical removal of the lipoma, do not occur. Ultrasonic lipolysis is a painless procedure. After application it can be on the affected area however, to a reddening, warming and sore muscles come. However, improper use of ultrasonic lipolysis can cause severe burns to the skin at the treated area.

alternative

Some patients who do not want to resort to an invasive procedure when it is not absolutely necessary try to use a lipoma homeopathic preparations and a change in her Living (and especially eating) habits to treat. Although this seems to work for some of those affected, clear results that would confirm the success of this theory are not yet available here.

Illustration of a lipoma

Lipoma - adipose tissue growth
a - epidermis (2 + 3 + 4) -
epidermis
b - dermis (5 + 6) -
Dermis
c - subcutaneous tissue (7) -
Tela subcutanea

1. Lipoma -
   Adipose tissue growth
2. Horny layer - Stratum corneum
3. Cornifying layer
   (light layer
   and granular layer) -
   Stratum lucidum and
   Stratum granulosum
4. Germ layer (prickly cell layer
   and base layer) -
   Stratum spinosum and
   Stratum basale
5. Papillary layer -
   Stratum papillary
6. Network layer -
   Stratum reticularre
7. Fat tissue (fat pads)
8. Fat cells - adipocytes

You can find an overview of all Dr-Gumpert images at: medical illustrations