Unusual complications caused by lipoma of the tongue

Abstract

Lipoma is the most common, benign, soft tissue, mesenchymal tumour and is composed of mature adipose tissue. It is infrequent in the oral cavity (approximately 0.3% of all tongue neoplasias). We describe the case of a 68-year-old man with a swelling at the tongue edge and tongue dysesthesia. Medical history, clinical assessment, radiographic images, and cytological analysis enabled specialists to classify this neoplasia as a lipoma. The patient recovered fully after surgical excision of the affected area, and the neuralgic symptoms regressed. Surgical excision is an elective treatment; however, accurate differential diagnosis, histological examination, and follow-up are required.

Keywords: Hypoesthesia; Lipoma; Macroglossia; Oral cavity; Tongue.

Fig. 1. Nodular lesion on the right ventral surface of the tongue. The lesion was asymptomatic, well defined, smooth with soft consistency and with normal lingual mucosal surface.

Fig. 2. Expositing the mass. An excisional biopsy and enucleation of the lesion was performed.

Fig. 3. Histological features. Microscopic examination revealed mature adipocytes sepimented by thin fibrous connective tissue, clusters of unvacuolated fat cells forming lace-like sheets and bland peripheral nuclei (H&E staining, A: ×50, B: ×100).