Scalp hibernoma: case report and literature review

Oral hibernoma along with multiple lipomas

'Hibernoma' is a neoplasm that arises from vestiges of fetal brown fat, and its occurrence in oral cavity is extremely rare. Its most common locations include thighs, the inter-scapular region, and the cervical region. In the present case, a 37-year-old male patient reported to our department with a localized swelling on his lower left labial mucosa along with multiple cutaneous well-defined swellings on his right arm and abdominal region. Incisional biopsy was carried out. Histopathological examination revealed sheets of multi-vacuolated eosinophilic cells with the granular cytoplasm interspersed with fat cells suggestive of oral hibernoma. These are rare lesions and could be often a missed-out diagnosis. Therefore, it is imperative to consider oral hibernoma among the commonly considered differential diagnosis of oral mucosal swellings.

[Hibernoma: an uncommon adipocytic tumor]

Hibernomas are uncommon tumors composed of brown fat. Their consistency is multiple but usually harder than a regular lipoma. It is a mobile, slow-growing mass. Clinical symptoms are exceptional (pain or massive weight loss). The case of a 26 years old patient who suffered of a cervical hibernoma is reported to discuss the clinical and paraclinical aspect of the diagnosis.

[Hibernoma of the forearm]

Hibernomas are rare benign tumours originating from the brown fat found in the foetus and animals that hibernate. In most cases they present as a slowly growing painful mass situated in those regions where this type of fat persists in the adult. We report a case of hibernoma of the forearm, which is an unusual localization, and we review the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this of tumour whose main differential diagnosis is liposarcoma.

Hibernoma of the neck

A hibernoma is a rare, benign, soft-tissue tumor composed of cells similar to those of brown adipose tissue. Only nine cases in the cervical area have been reported. Typically, hibernomas are asymptomatic and slow growing. Adequate treatment consists of complete excision. We describe an additional case of neck hibernoma and review the literature to clarify a pathologic condition rarely included in the differential diagnosis of cervical masses.

Axillary Hibernoma: An Unusual Soft Tissue Tumor

Hibernomas are rare soft tissue tumors of brown fat differentiation. A case of a large axillary hibernoma, along with a review of its pathology, is presented. This tumor matches the largest hibernoma in the literature and is the largest in an axillary site.

Intradural spinal hibernoma: case report

BACKGROUND

Hibernoma is a rare, benign tumor arising from vestigial remnants of brown adipose tissue. It usually affects muscle and subcutaneous tissue and is asymptomatic and slow growing.

METHODS

A review of the worldwide literature contains about 110 cases of hibernomas. However, only two cases (including our case) of hibernoma located in the intradural spine have been reported. We present an extremely rare case of intradural extramedullary spinal hibernoma and summarize the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the lesion.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 35-year-old woman suffered from motor weakness and numbness of the left upper extremity. Cervical spinal MRI revealed an intradural extramedullary mass at C7. She underwent surgery via the posterior approach and the lesion was completely removed. Histopathologic examination showed multivacuolated cells with centrally placed nuclei, and the diagnosis of hibernoma was made.

CONCLUSIONS

Because the CT and MRI findings of hibernoma are almost same as those of other lipomatous tumors, a surgical specimen of this tumor is necessary to establish the correct diagnosis. Early diagnosis and total resection are necessary as some cases showed malignant features or rapid growth. Etiologically, the tumor may have developed by the ectopic growth or migration of adipose tissue.

Hibernoma of the spermatic cord. The second reported case and literature review

A 23-year-old man was admitted with a 6-month history of a slow-growing mass in the left side of the scrotum. Echography revealed a mixed-density mass that was mainly fatty. The histopathological examination was considered typical of a hibernoma. To our knowledge this is the second case reported.