Publication:

A case of lipoma in lateral anterior neck: a common entity at an uncommon location

Lipoma is the most common benign mesenchymal tumor of adipose tissue. Their occurrence in head and neck is relatively rare. Lipomas in the neck region are rare tumors that usually present as slowly growing painless masses, found in the lateral portions of the neck. Here, we report a case of lipoma lying over the left lobe of thyroid above the sternal notch in a 41year old man. Swelling was gradually progressive in size since 2 years with no other complaints. Swelling was firm in consistency, mobile, non-tender and not moving with deglutition. It was clinically diagnosed as thyroid neoplasm/ cystic swelling and later on cytological and histopathological examination was performed which revealed benign lipoma. The purpose of this case report is to recognise rare lipomas that occur in unusual locations in the head and neck in order to identify them when they can cause diagnostic problems.