Unveiling a rare surgical phenomenon: Symptomatic pancreatic lipoma's diagnosis and management

Pancreatic lipomas are rare benign mesenchymal tumors, usually asymptomatic and incidentally detected on radiological investigations due to their unique characteristic appearance on imaging. However, a rare case presented with symptoms, and required surgical management, which is reported here.

A 59-year-old woman with abdominal pain, reduced appetite, and non-bilious vomiting was found to have a pancreatic head lipoma compressing adjacent organs. She underwent Pancreaticoduodenectomy, as she was symptomatic due to obstruction, and the radiological imaging confirmed the presence of CBD stricture and pancreatic head lipoma compressing the D2. The postoperative course was uneventful without any complications, and the patient was discharged on POD 9.

Pancreatic lipomas are most commonly found in the head of the pancreas; they are usually asymptomatic (Butler et al., 2016); if symptomatic - it is often due to the compressive effect of the lesion on neighboring structures. As in our case, the lesion was compressing over D2, producing obstructive symptoms. The current low morbidity and mortality rates associated with pancreatic resection justify the operative approach, even after knowing the benign nature of the lesion.

This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing and treating symptomatic pancreatic lipomas and the need for a careful, team-based approach in managing rare pancreatic tumors.