Inguinal bladder hernia with lipomatosis of the bladder wall: A potential clinical pitfall for cancer

Abstract

A 70-year-old man was referred to the Urology Service of our University Hospital for an irregular thickening of the left anterior–lateral urinary bladder wall found in a computed tomography scan following gross haematuria. In particular, the computed tomography scan showed irregularity of the mucosal aspect and an irregular thickening of the bladder wall in close proximity of an inguinal hernia. The computed tomography exam also showed an unusual little fatty seizure in the parietal planes. A magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the thickening in the same area as the hernia with a mainly extraluminal presentation and extension in the perivesical adipose tissue. Cystoscopy did not show alteration of the mucosal surface. Urine cytology showed normal urothelium cells. At the time of the left inguinal hernia repair, the bladder was isolated from the inguinal hernia fat tissue and then opened with median cystotomy. Biopsy of the anterior–lateral bladder wall showed normal urothelium and an abundant component of mature lobules of adipose tissue in the sub-epithelial connective tissue extending among the muscle bundles of muscularis propria, compatible with a diagnosis of lipomatosis, a very rare lesion in the urinary bladder.