Giant Deep Neck Lipoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Lipomas may be located in all parts of the body and may be confused clinically with other soft tissue masses. They infrequently occur in the head and neck. A large neck mass (greater than 10 cm) with a rapid growth rate should raise concerns about a possible malignancy. Surgical excision of a lipoma is often used as the definitive treatment modality and alternative treatments described for lipomas such as liposuction have been described in the literature. In the present study a 39-year-old male presented with an enlarging left neck mass measuring 11 cm × 8 cm that was successfully removed. The surgery produced excellent cosmetic results and no functional impairment. An integrated review of the literature regarding etiology, histopathology, diagnostic and treatment modalities of lipomas is presented.