Large gastric lipoma presenting with GI bleeding

Giant symptomatic gastric lipoma: A case report and literature review

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Gastric lipomas may become symptomatic when ≥10 cm, at which point they are classified as giant gastric lipomas.

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Giant gastric lipomas are extremely rare, with only 6 prior cases reported in the English worldwide literature since 1980.

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Gastric lipoma density is similar to peripheral fat on CT, −80 to −120 Hounsfield units, which is nearly pathognomonic.

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Circumferential excision of gastric lipomas with a clear margin of normal tissue is adequate for symptomatic resection.

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Preservation of gastric continuity via gastrotomy and primary closure avoids complications of gastrojejunostomy.

Introduction

Lipomas are uncommon tumors of the gastrointestinal tract; gastric lipomas account for <1% of all gastric tumors encountered (Nickloes and Sutphin [1]). Giant gastric lipomas, defined as ≥10 cm, are exceedingly rare with only 6 cases reported since 1980 (Cappell et al., Termos et al., Singh et al., Ramaraj et al., Rao et al., Priyadarshi et al., Neto et al. [3–9]). We hereby present a case of a giant gastric lipoma that became symptomatic seven years after its initial identification and was excised preserving gastric continuity.

Case presentation

Our patient is a 58-year-old African American male with a 3 cm gastric mass incidentally found on CT in 2010. In September of 2017, the patient presented with severe epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting. Abdominal CT scan revealed an increase in size of the patient’s gastric lesion to 7.2 × 10.3 × 7.3 cm. He underwent an exploratory laparotomy with transverse anterior gastrotomy and primary closure. Pathologic examination revealed a 12 cm submucosal, well-circumscribed, non-encapsulated mass comprised of mature adipose tissue without atypia or mitotic figures, consistent with lipoma.

Discussion

The majority of gastric lipomas are asymptomatic, identified on CT scan as round/ovoid masses with low attenuation and homogenous appearance, measuring −80 to −120 Hounsfield units. These findings are nearly pathognomonic. Due to the benign nature of gastric lipomas, circumferential excision with a clear margin of normal tissue is adequate for symptomatic resection. This is the second report of giant gastric lipoma excised with continuity preserving partial gastrectomy, avoiding gastrojejunostomy complications.

Conclusion

Fatty tumors are rare in the gastrointestinal tract, yet lipomas must be on the differential when masses are found with Hounsfield units similar to peripheral fat.

Giant gastric lipoma presenting as GI bleed: Enucleation or Resection?

INTRODUCTION

Gastric lipomas are unusual benign lesions and account for less than 1% of all tumours of the stomach and 5% of all gastrointestinal lipomas (Thompson et al.2003; Fernandez et al. 1983 [1,2]). Although predominantly asymptomatic and indolent; they may present with gastric outlet obstruction and upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding owing to size and ulceration. Only a few cases have been reported, presenting large in size with massive GI bleeding (Alcalde Escribano et al. 1989; Johnson et al. 1981 [3,4]).

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We report the case of a 62-year-old gentleman who presented to the emergency department with massive upper GI hemorrhage. He was initially resuscitated and stabilized. Later gastroscopy showed a large submucosal tumour (Fig. 1). Biopsy revealed adipose tissue. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed a huge well defined oval soft tissue lesion measuring about 16×8×8cm. The mass noted a homogenous fat density arising from the posterior wall of stomach with no extramural infiltration (Fig. 2). The tumour was completely enucleated through an explorative gastrotomy incision (Fig. 4).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Massive bleeding secondary to a giant gastric lipoma is a rare finding of a rare disease. The majority of cases in the literature result in major gastric resection. Familiarity with its radiological findings and a high index of suspicion can lead to proper diagnosis in the acute setting. If malignancy is carefully ruled out, stomach preserving surgery is an optimal treatment option.

Systematic review of giant gastric lipomas reported since 1980 and report of two new cases in a review of 117110 esophagogastroduodenoscopies

AIM

To systematically review the syndrome of giant gastric lipomas, report 2 new illustrative cases.

METHODS

Literature systematically reviewed using PubMed for publications since 1980 with following medical subject heading/keywords: (“giant lipoma”) AND (“gastric”) OR [(“lipoma”) and (“gastric”) and (“bleeding”)]. Two authors independently reviewed literature, and decided by consensus which articles to incorporate. Computerized review of pathology/endoscopy records at William Beaumont Hospitals, Royal Oak and Troy, Michigan, January 2005-December 2015, revealed 2 giant gastric lipomas among 117110 consecutive esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs), which were thoroughly reviewed, including re-review of original endoscopic photographs, radiologic images, and pathologic slides.

RESULTS

Giant gastric lipomas are extremely rare: 32 cases reported since 1980, and 2 diagnosed among 117110 consecutive EGDs. Average patient age = 54.5 ± 17.0 years old (males = 22, females = 10). Maximal lipoma dimension averaged 7.9 cm ± 4.1 cm. Ulcerated mass occurred in 21 patients. Lipoma locations: antrum-17, body-and-antrum-4, antrum-intussuscepting-into-small-intestine-3, body-2, fundus-1, and unspecified-5. Intramural locations included submucosal-22, subserosal-2, and unspecified-8. Presentations included: acute upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding-19, abdominal pain-5, nausea/vomiting-5, and asymptomatic-3. Symptoms among patients with UGI bleeding included: weakness/fatigue-6, abdominal pain-4, nausea/vomiting-4, early-satiety-3, dizziness-2, and other-1. Their hemoglobin on admission averaged 7.5 g/dL ± 2.8 g/dL. Patients with GI bleeding had significantly more frequently ulcers than other patients. EGD was extremely helpful diagnostically (n = 31 patients), based on characteristic endoscopic findings, including yellowish hue, well-demarcated margins, smooth overlying mucosa, and endoscopic cushion, tenting, or naked-fat signs. However, endoscopic mucosal biopsies were mostly non-diagnostic (11 of 12 non-diagnostic). Twenty (95%) of 21 abdominal CTs demonstrated characteristic findings of lipomas, including: well-circumscribed, submucosal, and homogeneous mass with attenuation of fat. Endoscopic-ultrasound showed characteristic findings in 4 (80%) of 5 cases: hyperechoic, well-localized, mass in gastric-wall-layer-3. Transabdominal ultrasound and UGI series were generally less helpful. All 32 patients underwent successful therapy without major complications or mortality, including: laparotomy and full-thickness gastric wall resection of tumor using various surgical reconstructions-26; laparotomy-and-enucleation-2; laparoscopic-transgastric-resection-2; endoscopic-mucosal-resection-1, and other-1. Two new illustrative patients are reported who presented with severe UGI bleeding from giant, ulcerated, gastric lipomas.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review may help standardize the endoscopic and radiologic evaluation and therapy of patients with this syndrome.