Symptomatic submucosal lipoma of the large bowel

Symptomatic large bowel lipomata may be of considerable size and usually present in middle age with symptoms of obstruction or bleeding. Although they are rare, their recognition is important so that patients may be spared unnecessary colonic resection for a presumptive malignant diagnosis. Colonoscopic removal may often be feasible. Six cases are reported together with a review of the literature emphasizing the characteristic features.