A lipoma is a slow growth of fat mass that we often find in the skin and underlying muscle layer. Sometimes the identification of a tumor mass such as lipoma is easy to identify due to the ability of the tumor to move by the action of the doctor. The texture presented by the tumor mass is variable, and not very pleasant to palpate. It is possible that there is more than one lipoma. Lipomas can occur at any age, but are more often detected in people, both men, and middle-aged women. A lipoma is not cancer and is usually harmless. Treatment is not usually necessary, but if the lipoma is present in an annoying or conflicting area it can be painful or increase in size during its evolution, it is possible that the patient decides to remove it.
Does Insurance cover Lipoma Removal?
Lipoma is a disease that in some cases requires a surgical intervention, for example when they are growing too fast, change its consistency or is limiting movements. This is a simple and low-cost procedure and is covered by many insurance companies. Also, it is performed in an outpatient department, so it does not require hospitalization.
Causes of Lipoma
Although the exact cause of lipomas is unknown, it is believed that a part of the disorder may have a genetic origin. A patient may have several close relatives with a history of fatty tumors.
To diagnose a lipoma, the doctor can submit the patient to a series of tests to avoid false positives. Among the most used tests we highlight:
- A physical examination.
- A questionnaire with the patient’s clinical history
- A sample of the patient’s tissue (biopsy) is taken for the laboratory examination.
An ultrasound or imaging test, such as an MRI or a computed tomography, if the lipoma is large, has unusual characteristics or appears to be deeper than fatty tissue.
There is a small chance that a lump resembles a lipoma and may actually be a form of cancer called liposarcoma. Liposarcomas or cancerous tumors in fatty tissues grow quickly, do not move under the skin and are usually painful.
Lipoma Treatment
Although lipomas are rare diseases, because they are not cancerous and do not grow in size, there are no written medical treatments that should be followed in a lipoma case. However, if the lipoma is in an area that bothers the patient, is painful or is growing, the doctor could agree with the patient that the lipoma is operated and suppressed. Treatments for lipoma include are:
Surgical Removal: Given its size and location just under the skin it is usually easy to remove a lipoma. In most cases, it consists of outpatient surgery performed under local anesthesia. So, after the intervention, the patient can go home. Most lipomas are surgically removed by cutting them out. Recurrences after eliminations are rare.
Steroid Injections: This treatment reduces the lipoma, but usually does not completely eliminate the tumor. This type of treatment is done when the lipoma develops pain, sensitivity, and redness.
Liposuction: This treatment uses a needle and a large syringe to remove the fatty tumor. It is difficult to remove the entire lipoma with this technique. Other common reasons for surgery are enlargement, unattractive lumps, or proximity to a nerve, which can cause increased pressure and pain in the area. The doctor will inject the patient with a local anesthetic around the lipoma, make a small incision in the skin, remove the noncancerous growth, and stitch the incision after checking that the bleeding and infection ends. Occasionally, hospitalization is necessary for complications such as a large tumor located near an internal organ.
The surgery to remove the lipomas can be done through the Social Security, which involves going through the GP, waiting for the tumor analysis and then this leads to the specialist. If the patient does not want to wait any longer or have private medical insurance, the patient can make an appointment with specialists who will study the case and can perform the surgery to remove the lipoma in a short time.
Also Read:
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- Lipoma: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Herbal Remedies, Prognosis, Epidemiology
- Lipomatosis: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment
- Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
- Madelung Disease or Benign Symmetric Lipomatosis: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Risk Factors, Diagnosis
- Epidural Lipomatosis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis
