Neck and occipital pain caused by deep cervical intramuscular lipoma: A surgical case

Abstract

A lipoma is a slow-growing, benign tumor and is usually asymptomatic; hence, surgical intervention can often be avoided in patients with these tumors in the cervical and cranial area. Lipomas arise most commonly in the subcutaneous fat, but occasionally in muscle tissue. Intramuscular lipomas in the cervico-cranial area have rarely been reported. We describe here a patient with a large intramuscular lipoma in the deep cervical tissue. The patient experienced troublesome pain in the neck and occipital area, and surgical treatment was therefore suggested. Particularly in the cervical area, intramuscular lipomas sometimes invade the surrounding muscles and tissue layers and develop into an irregular mass, despite being benign. In addition, the cervical area has one of the most complex muscle structures. Nevertheless, surgical management of intramuscular lipoma in the cervical and cranial area is sometimes indicated, for example, in patients with clinical symptoms or masses with a tendency to grow large.