A surgical view on the treatment of Madelung's disease.

ABSTRACT

Benign symmetrical lipomatosis (Madelung's disease) is a rare condition of unclear aetiology characterized by numerous, unencapsulated lipomatous deposits. The only effective treatment is by surgical intervention; however, there is no consensus in the optimal approach. We present the case of a patient who required staged, multi-modality treatment to achieve disease quiescence. The case highlights the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging as a tool for assessment as well as preoperative planning.