Журнал клинических случаев

Sports-related Lipoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Nicholas A Daniels

Indroduction: Lipomas are relatively common and are the most prevalent benign soft-tissue neoplasm. The transformation of lipomas into malignant liposarcomas is relatively rare, and the precise etiology and pathogenesis of lipomas are not well understood. Few published studies or case reports of post-traumatic lipomas have been described in the medical literature, and the pathological link between blunt trauma and formation of lipomas remains controversial. Case presentation: 46 year-old male presented to the clinic complaining of right knee swelling and the presence of a leg mass. The patient reported that he previously sustained blunt leg trauma during a basketball game at the site of his leg mass. After increased growth of his leg mass on imaging, he sought medical and surgical evaluation. The patient decided to pursue surgical resection with pathologic specimen review. The patient underwent surgical resection of the right thigh mass and the final pathologic diagnosis was a lipoma. Conclusion: When evaluating a patient with a lipoma, physicians should ascertain whether or not the patient has sustained previous trauma at the site of the mass lesion. It appears from this case report that blunt trauma during sports may be a risk factor for the future development of soft tissue lipomas. Further epidemiologic research is necessary to clearly ascertain this pathologic link.