Endoscopic resection of giant GI lipoma: a case series

Clinicopathological features and management of colonic lipomas: Case reports

INTRODUCTION

Colonic lipomas are benign tumors of adipose tissue that are often asymptomatic, but they may present with rectal bleeding or obstructive symptoms. These tumors are unique in that they are rarely encountered within the gastrointestinal system and can mimic malignant tumors in appearance. Surgical resection and endoscopic removal of tumors have been shown to be successful in their management.

PATIENT CONCERNS

In this report, we present 3 cases of colonic lipomas, 2 of which are located in the cecum and the other within the sigmoid colon. The presenting symptoms of the patients included abdominal pain, constipation, and dyspepsia.

DIAGNOSIS

Patients typically presented with anemia and an elevated C-reactive protein count. Colonoscopic and computerized tomography findings were used for diagnosis.

INTERVENTIONS

Hemicolectomy was performed, depending on the localization, and the pathologic specimens were consistent with lipoma.

OUTCOMES

Surgical resection was curative in all patients. The postoperative period was uneventful in all patients and all patients are symptom-free and alive at 3 years follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Colonic lipomas are benign mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal system with a male predominance and are observed within the fourth to sixth decades of life. Various genetic abnormalities have been reported and they have been linked to the formation of intussusception. The squeeze sign on radiological imaging, cushion sign and tenting sign in colonoscopy, and naked fat sign during pathologic examination is helpful towards reaching a diagnosis. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice but minimally invasive endoscopic approaches have also been shown to be successful.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection of a symptomatic giant colonic lipoma: technical tips for resection and specimen retrieval

Video 1Endoscopic submucosal dissection of a giant colonic lipoma.

Giant Colonic Lipoma Presenting as Intermittent Colonic Obstruction With Hematochezia

Colonic lipomas are rare benign, non-epithelial tumors of mesenchymal origin. They are often solitary lesions of submucosal origin found in the proximal colon and typically measure less than 2 cm in size. Giant colonic lipomas are greater than 4 cm and present with non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal distention, constipation, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Traditionally, giant colonic lipomas have been surgically rather than endoscopically resected due to concerns for bowel wall perforation and life-threatening hemorrhage. However, in recent years, advances in endoscopic tools and hemostatic techniques have lessened these risks. The following case details the successful endoscopic resection of an intermittently obstructing giant colonic lipoma (6 cm) located in the descending colon utilizing the loop-assisted-snare resection technique. 

Endoscopic treatment of large symptomatic colon lipomas: A systematic review of efficacy and safety

BACKGROUND

Various techniques have been described for endoscopic resection of large symptomatic colon lipomas. Lipoma unroofing might provide a safer, more time efficient and easier technique compared to dissection-based techniques, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or loop-assisted resection. The aim of this systematic review was to compare efficacy and safety (endoscopic resolution rates, clinical remission rates and adverse events) of lipoma unroofing with respect to dissection-based techniques, EMR or loop-assisted resection.

METHODS

As most outcomes were binary in nature and several outcomes did not occur in some studies, routine calculation of standard errors in outcome probability was not possible. Therefore, original patient data were extracted, after which efficacy and safety were compared.

RESULTS

Twenty four studies met the selection criteria, which encompassed 77 lesions (46.8% female, mean age 63 years (interquartile range (IQR) 53-72 years), mean size 45.4 mm (IQR 30.0-60.0 mm). Ten patients underwent unroofing (13.0%), whereas 7 (9.1%), 31 (40.3%) and 29 patients (37.7%) underwent dissection-based techniques, EMR and loop-assisted-snare resection, respectively. Endoscopic resolution rates were 60%, 100% (p = 0.103), 93.6% (p = 0.024) and 93.1% (p = 0.028). Clinical remission rates were identical in all four groups (100%). Amongst patients who underwent EMR and loop-assisted techniques, adverse events were identified in 12.9% (p = 0.556) and 13.8% (p = 0.556), respectively, compared to none in the unroofing and dissection-based resection group.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with large colon lipomas, endoscopic treatment by unroofing, dissection-based resection, EMR and loop-assisted resection provided similar clinical remission rates. Amongst patients undergoing EMR and loop-assisted resection, increased endoscopic resolution rates were seen at the expense of more adverse events, although the latter did not reach statistical significance. Until more reliable comparative data are available, the most optimal resection technique should rely on local expertise and patient profile.

Endoscopic Treatment of Intussusception From Massive Colonic Lipomas via Endoscopic Mucosal Resection: A Case Series

Although the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic resection of colonic lipomas has already been described, the ideal excisional technique continues to be debated. Notably, a majority of the proposed techniques focus on small, incidentally found lipomas. We report 3 patients with massive (≥8 cm) colonic lipomas presenting as intussusception that were successfully treated by piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection. We propose endoscopic mucosal resection as the endoscopic treatment of choice and feasible alternative to surgery for the management of intussuscepting lipomas.