[Two surgical cases of intrathoracic lipoma]

We experienced two cases of intrathoracic lipoma arising from the chest wall. The first case was a 55-year-old male, and another case was a 70-year-old female. In the second case, the computed tomography was highly suggestive of a pleural tumor with almost same density as the subcutaneous adipose tissue. This findings may be diagnostic in assessing intrathoracic chest wall type lipoma. Both cases had thoracotomy to remove the tumors. The tumors were easily resectable, though their capsules were partially unclear. We resected the tumors completely together with pleura, periosteum and intercostal muscle. The diagnosis of intramuscular lipoma was confirmed postoperatively by histopathologic examination in each case. When the capsule of lipoma is not clear, combined resection of the tumor and chest wall should be considered. There have been no recurrence of the tumors in our cases.