Do the Clinical Characteristics of Lipomas Influence the Incision Length During Minimal Incision Extraction?

Minimal incision extraction technique is widely accepted for the surgical removal of lipomas, but no consensus for the incision length has been made yet.

To investigate the clinical characteristics of lipomas which affect the minimal incision length during the minimal incision extraction.

We retrospectively analyzed 50 patients who underwent minimal incision extraction for 55 medium-sized (3-5 cm) or large lipomas (> 5 cm) between March 2020 and May 2022. If the mass is not fully dissected, or adequate visual field for hemostasis was not provided through the initial one-third incision, the incision was extended to the minimal extent.

There were 33 males and 17 females with a mean age of 53.5 ± 12.7 years. There was no statistical difference in the minimal % incision length, defined as [(incision length) / (tumor diameter)] x 100, between the medium-sized (n = 31) and large lipomas (n = 24). Lipomas of the long incision group (minimal % incision length ≥66.7%, n = 21) had a higher frequency of head and neck location than lipomas of the short incision group (minimal % incision length <66.7%, n = 34) (odds ratio = 14.5, P < .05). However, no association was found between the tumor diameter or depth and the minimal % incision length. The occurrence of postoperative complications was not associated also (P = .296).

The minimal % incision length for lipoma removal does not show statistical difference between medium-sized and large lipomas, and is affected by its anatomical location, but not by tumor diameter or depth.