Lipomas of the Toes: An Eight-Case Series

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Dermatology
• Radiology

Background:

• Lipomas, benign tumors of adipose tissue, are common in extremities but rare in toes.
• This study focuses on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of toe lipomas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and treatment outcomes of lipomas located on the toes.
• To emphasize the rarity and typical presentation of these tumors.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 8 patients diagnosed with toe lipomas over a 5-year period.
• Review of clinical data, imaging (MRI), and treatment outcomes following surgical excision.

Main Results:

• Toe lipomas occurred equally in males and females, with a mean age of 51.75 years.
• Most presented as painless, slow-growing subcutaneous masses, predominantly on the hallux.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed well-defined masses; all patients treated with surgical excision showed no recurrence.

Conclusions:

• Toe lipomas are rare, slow-growing, painless subcutaneous tumors, equally affecting middle-aged men and women.
• MRI is the preferred diagnostic tool for presurgical evaluation.
• Complete surgical excision is effective, with a low recurrence rate.