Encapsulated fat necrosis--a clinicopathological study of 8 cases and a literature review

Abstract

Eight cases of encapsulated fat necrosis are described. The patients were two males and six females from 10 to 77 years of age. The majority of the lesions clinically presented as asymptomatic, multiple, mobile, small nodules. All patients were treated by simple excisions of the nodules. Grossly, the lesions were whitish-yellow in color, smoothly-surfaced, round nodules measuring 3 to 20 mm in the greatest diameter. Histopathologically, the nodules were basically composed of variably degenerated and necrotic fatty tissue covered by fibrous connective tissue capsule associated with occasional calcification and inflammatory cell infiltrates. Among several terms proposed for this disease, encapsulated fat necrosis is considered most preferable term based on the clinical and histological findings of the present and reported cases.