Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
07:58
Stromal Vascular Fraction-enriched Fat Grafting for the Treatment of Symptomatic End-neuromata
Published on: November 23, 2017
Peripheral nerve compression secondary to adjacent lipomas
Leandro Pretto Flores1, Janine Zaban Carneiro
1Neurosurgery Unit, Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 70853-060, Brazil. leandroprettoflores@hotmail.com
Surgical Neurology
|February 27, 2007
Summary
Benign fatty tumors called lipomas can compress peripheral nerves, causing symptoms similar to nerve entrapment. Surgical removal of these lipomas generally leads to good pain relief and nerve recovery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Neurology
- Oncology
Background:
- Nonneural sheath origin tumors are rare, encompassing benign and malignant lesions.
- Peripheral nerve compression by benign fatty tumors (lipomas) is infrequently documented.
- This study reviews experiences treating peripheral nerve compression from adjacent lipomas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the authors' experience in treating patients with peripheral nerve compressions secondary to adjacent lipomas.
- To analyze the clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging, and surgical outcomes for lipoma-induced nerve compression.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patients treated between 1999 and 2006.
- Inclusion criteria: peripheral nerve compressive symptoms secondary to lipomas in limbs, tumor contact with nerve, and matching innervation pattern.
- Data collected on tumor location, symptoms, imaging findings, surgical intervention, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Eight lipomas were analyzed; 5 in the upper extremity, 2 in the lower limb, and 1 involving the brachial plexus.
- Clinical presentation mimicked entrapment neuropathy in 5 cases.
- Surgical resection yielded good outcomes in 87.5% of patients, with direct nerve compression observed in only 2 cases.
Conclusions:
- Surgical treatment of lipomas causing peripheral nerve compression provides good pain relief and neurological recovery.
- Direct intraoperative evidence of nerve compression by the lipoma may not always be apparent.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Clinical manifestationsPeripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) manifests through a range of symptoms, from the characteristic intermittent claudication to atypical presentations and severe complications in advanced stages. Intermittent claudication, a hallmark symptom of PAD, presents as exercise-induced muscle pain that typically resolves within minutes of rest. This pain is reproducible and stems from inadequate blood flow, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid produced during anaerobic...
01:25Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology
Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...