Abstract
Lipoma is a common benign soft tissue tumor. Giant lipoma1 is generally defined as more than 10 cm in length or more than 1000 g in weight. we report a 33-year-old patient with a giant lipoma in the left scapular region. We placed a self-made rubber drainage strip during the operation to control exudate, which is effective in improving incision effusion and worthy of clinical promotion.
KEY WORDS: Lipoma; Drainage; Rubber strip
CASE DESCRIPTION
A 33-year-old man was admitted to our department with complaint of founding a mass in the left scapular region and gradually increased for 2 years, accompanied by discomfort in the supine position. The preoperative imaging examination showed a giant lipoma with a size of about 10.0cm×8.7cm×1.6cm. Subsequently, surgical resection was performed. During the operation, we made a transverse fusiform incision on the mass surface and placed a self-made rubber drainage strip before the incision was closed. The rubber drainage strip took from a single-use sterile rubber surgical glove. We pulled out the rubber drainage strip on the second day after the operation. The sutures were removed 12 days postoperatively and the incision healed well.
Surgical resection of giant lipoma is most appropriate treatment2 and not complicated, however,preventing post-surgical complications (the wound fluid or surgical site infection) is of great importance. Due to the relatively large lacuna and unavoidable exudation left after the operation of the giant lipoma, application of an appropriate wound drainage is necessary. We used a self-made rubber drainage strip, which could decrease the wound fluid and surgical site infection after the giant lipoma resection, worthy of clinical promotion.
REFERENCES
1. Sanchez MR, Golomb FM, Moy JA, Potozkin JR. Giant lipoma: case report and review of the
literature. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993;28(2 Pt 1): 266–268.
2. Litchinko A, Cherbanyk F, Menth M, Egger B. Giant gluteal lipoma surgical management. BMJ Case Rep . 2019;12(8): e229842.