[Giant cervical lipoma: Report on one case in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso]

To report on a case of rare giant anterior cervical lipoma.

This was a 60-year-old male patient received in March 2020 for an anterior cervical swelling in progressive evolution since 20 years. The condition was negatively impacting the patient's quality of life with a feeling of cervical heaviness, discomfort, head movement limitations, with no sign of compression. Despite this significant discomfort, the patient first consulted several traditional practitioners with different traditional treatments without success, the mass having been taken for a goiter. It is in the face of the failure of traditherapeuts that the patient finally decided to consult in our care structure.

Physical examination found a large left paramedian formation which appeared soft, mobile vis-a-vis the two plans, and sensitive; it measured 13 cm on its longer axis, and surrounding skin showed scarifications, witness to previous traditional treatments. Cervical CT eliminated goiter and made it possible to diagnose a giant cervical lipoma. A cervicotomy was performed under general anesthesia with a total one-block excision of an encapsulated mass. The evolution was favorable with a good healing. The histological examination of the mass identified a well-differentiated lipoma. There was no relapse up until 24 months later.

The giant anterior cervical lipoma is rare. The differential diagnosis is mainly posed with a large goiter or liposarcoma. CT or MRI make it possible to confirm the diagnosis. Its treatment is exclusively surgical and the examination of the operative piece by the pathologist confirms the diagnosis. An extended post-operative monitoring is recommended given the risks of relapse and of malignant degeneration.