Giant Subcutaneous Lipoma of the Lateral Abdominal Wall in a Malnourished Patient with Family History: A Case Report from Pendjwa, Province de Maï Ndombe, DRC
Abstract
Lipomas are common benign tumors. Their giant form is rare, especially when located on the abdominal wall. We report the case of a 36-year-old male farmer from Pendjwa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He weighed 42 kg for a height of 162 cm (BMI 15.9). For five years, he had a painless but bothersome lateral abdominal mass. On examination, the tumor measured about 17 × 14 cm. It was soft, mobile, well circumscribed, and without inflammatory signs. Surgical excision was performed under general anesthesia with ketamine. The encapsulated, yellowish mass was completely removed. It weighed 1,112 g. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient reported a family history of similar tumors, including a brother with a large scapular mass suggestive of a giant lipoma. This case illustrates an unusual localization of giant lipoma, associated with malnutrition and a possible familial lipomatosis. Surgical excision remains the treatment of choice, even in resource-limited settings.
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