Lipoma at the spine

General information

Lipomas are benign soft-tissue tumors that develop from fat cells and are most frequently found on the neck, spine, thighs and lower legs. Most lipomas grow directly under the skin so that they are quickly visible from the outside and impress as small lumps or nodules. Since many lipomas are painful above a certain size, it is recommended to remove them surgically.

Definition

Lipomas are slow-growing, harmless new formations of soft tissue (benign soft tissue tumor), which develop from mature fat cells and are therefore also called fat tumors. Most lipomas are surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue and lie subcutaneously, i.e. directly under the skin. They are particularly common on the spine, neck, arms and legs.

Men over 30 years of age are more likely to be affected than women. Children are even less frequently affected. Different types of lipoma of the spinal column include the muscular lipoma, the subfascial lipoma and the angiolipoma.

The former are most often found on the sacrum and lumbar spine or on the head between the forehead and hairline. Angiolipomas are usually found in very young men, grow under the muscles and are filled with thrombosed blood vessels. Spindle cell lipomas are another form of lipomas and are often found in men between the ages of 45 and 60 on the spine, or on the shoulders. Compared to angiolipomas, which are always painful, spindle cell lipomas usually do not cause any discomfort. If a large number of lipomas are found in patients at the same time, this is known as lipomatosis, i.e. a disease with an increased tendency to lipomas.

Cause

The exact causes of lipomas are still unknown. However, researchers assume that in addition to genetic factors, elevated blood lipids also play a role in the development of a lipoma. Metabolic diseases such as diabetes or gout in particular can be associated with an increased risk of lipomas and lipomatosis (i.e. many lipomas).