Giant True Lipoma Resection in the Inguinal Canal.

ABSTRACT

The inguinal canal lipoma, known as spermatic cord lipoma in men or round ligament lipoma in women, has a variable incidence (22.5% to 75%) during inguinal hernioplasty procedures. The presence of a true lipoma in this region is considered rare and often underestimated by surgeons. A young female patient was diagnosed with a large true inguinal canal lipoma. Resection was performed using both videolaparoscopic and conventional techniques, based on a careful preoperative evaluation of anatomical parameters. The high incidence of lipomas in the inguinal canal contributes, in part, to the interpretation of fatty masses as "lipomas" during herniorrhaphy procedures. However, many of these are actually extrusions of extraperitoneal adipose tissue, maintaining dimensions within the physiological limits of the region. This confusion in classification highlights the complexity of differentiating between true lipomas and adipose protrusions. Based on a case report enriched with distinct clinical features and images, we sought to exemplify a surgical approach to a large true inguinal canal lipoma. This report not only emphasizes the rarity of the pathology but also underscores the importance of an effective and differentiated surgical approach for true lipomas in this location.