Giant lipoma in the Retzius space resected under laparoscopy: A case report

Lipoma is a common type of benign soft tissue tumor that can occur in the shoulders, neck and back, in addition to other body parts. The Retzius space is a small anatomical space between the pubic symphysis and the bladder located extraperitoneally and filled with loose fatty connective tissue. Giant lipomas are rare in the Retzius space. A 61-year-old Chinese male arrived at Beijing Yanhua Hospital (Beijing, China) due to frequent urination, and CT scan images of the lower abdomen observed a large pelvic mass and left inguinal hernia. Preoperative clinical manifestations and auxiliary examination suggested that the tumor originated from the urinary bladder wall. The maximum tumor diameter was ~25 cm and abdominal pressure was increased. Therefore, laparoscopic pelvic tumor resection combined with inguinal hernia repair was attempted. Intraoperatively, the tumor was found to originate from the Retzius space and the postoperative pathological diagnosis was lipoma. The present case report may serve as a reference for minimally invasive treatment of this type of rare disease in future.