Subacromial impingement by a lipoma arborescens

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) is a common cause of shoulder pain, often necessitating a thorough diagnostic approach to rule out rare pathologies.
• Subacromial lipoma arborescens is an uncommon benign lipomatous proliferation of the synovium, rarely associated with SIS.

Observation:

• This report details an unusual case of SIS caused by subacromial lipoma arborescens.
• Histopathologic and radiological findings indicative of this rare condition are discussed.
• Conservative management failed to alleviate the patient's symptoms.

Findings:

• Arthroscopic synovectomy was performed due to the failure of conservative treatment.
• The patient experienced complete symptom resolution following the surgical intervention.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of considering rare diagnoses in persistent SIS.
• Surgical intervention, such as arthroscopic synovectomy, can be a successful treatment for SIS secondary to subacromial lipoma arborescens.
• Long-term symptom relief is achievable with appropriate management of this rare condition.