Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report
Background: Lipomas can occur almost anywhere in the body, but they are exceptionally rare in the retroperitoneal region. While lipomas are common in adults, they are quite uncommon in children. Even among adults, retroperitoneal lipomas are not frequently encountered. When symptomatic, retroperiton...
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SAGE Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11795476241312825 |
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| author | Mesfin Wubishet Betre Shimelis Workye Tigabie Ashenafi Lemma |
| author_facet | Mesfin Wubishet Betre Shimelis Workye Tigabie Ashenafi Lemma |
| author_sort | Mesfin Wubishet |
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| description | Background: Lipomas can occur almost anywhere in the body, but they are exceptionally rare in the retroperitoneal region. While lipomas are common in adults, they are quite uncommon in children. Even among adults, retroperitoneal lipomas are not frequently encountered. When symptomatic, retroperitoneal lipomas may present with abdominal swelling, pain, or constipation, as noted in previous literature. However, there have been no reported cases of retroperitoneal lipomas causing recurrent diarrhea in children. Case presentation: We present a rare case of a large retroperitoneal lipoma in a 3-year-old child who experienced recurrent diarrhea and intermittent abdominal pain for 2 months, without any urinary symptoms. All Laboratory investigations were within reference ranges for his age. A CT scan showed a large abdominal mass likely from the retroperitoneum, potentially a lipogenic tumor, though liposarcoma could not be excluded. The patient was successfully treated with complete surgical excision, and histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a benign lipoma. Conclusion: Retroperitoneal lipoma is a rare variant of lipoma in children, often presenting with various nonspecific and misleading symptoms. Due to the rarity of this condition and the limited awareness among clinicians, it frequently leads to misdiagnosis. Radiologic imaging, particularly CT and MRI scans, are essential diagnostic tools for identifying these tumors. This case report emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for this rare condition when clinicians encounter recurrent diarrhea and concerning radiological findings. The characteristic behavior of retroperitoneal lipomas in children is still not well-defined; therefore, long-term follow-up is recommended. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9665d3be859d494b8dcbbce9da45a587 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1179-5476 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-9665d3be859d494b8dcbbce9da45a5872025-01-04T10:03:20ZengSAGE PublishingClinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports1179-54762025-01-011810.1177/11795476241312825Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case ReportMesfin Wubishet0Betre Shimelis1Workye Tigabie2Ashenafi Lemma3Department of Pediatrics, Arsi University College of Health Sciences, Asella, EthiopiaDepartment of Pediatrics, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, EthiopiaDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Radiology, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, EthiopiaBackground: Lipomas can occur almost anywhere in the body, but they are exceptionally rare in the retroperitoneal region. While lipomas are common in adults, they are quite uncommon in children. Even among adults, retroperitoneal lipomas are not frequently encountered. When symptomatic, retroperitoneal lipomas may present with abdominal swelling, pain, or constipation, as noted in previous literature. However, there have been no reported cases of retroperitoneal lipomas causing recurrent diarrhea in children. Case presentation: We present a rare case of a large retroperitoneal lipoma in a 3-year-old child who experienced recurrent diarrhea and intermittent abdominal pain for 2 months, without any urinary symptoms. All Laboratory investigations were within reference ranges for his age. A CT scan showed a large abdominal mass likely from the retroperitoneum, potentially a lipogenic tumor, though liposarcoma could not be excluded. The patient was successfully treated with complete surgical excision, and histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a benign lipoma. Conclusion: Retroperitoneal lipoma is a rare variant of lipoma in children, often presenting with various nonspecific and misleading symptoms. Due to the rarity of this condition and the limited awareness among clinicians, it frequently leads to misdiagnosis. Radiologic imaging, particularly CT and MRI scans, are essential diagnostic tools for identifying these tumors. This case report emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for this rare condition when clinicians encounter recurrent diarrhea and concerning radiological findings. The characteristic behavior of retroperitoneal lipomas in children is still not well-defined; therefore, long-term follow-up is recommended.https://doi.org/10.1177/11795476241312825 |
| spellingShingle | Mesfin Wubishet Betre Shimelis Workye Tigabie Ashenafi Lemma Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports |
| title | Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report |
| title_full | Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report |
| title_fullStr | Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report |
| title_short | Unusual Presentation of Large Retroperitoneal Lipoma in a 3-Year-Old Child: A Case Report |
| title_sort | unusual presentation of large retroperitoneal lipoma in a 3 year old child a case report |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11795476241312825 |
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