Giant Colonic Lipoma Presenting as Intermittent Colonic Obstruction With Hematochezia

Abstract

Colonic lipomas are rare benign, non-epithelial tumors of mesenchymal origin. They are often solitary lesions of submucosal origin found in the proximal colon and typically measure less than 2 cm in size. Giant colonic lipomas are greater than 4 cm and present with non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal distention, constipation, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Traditionally, giant colonic lipomas have been surgically rather than endoscopically resected due to concerns for bowel wall perforation and life-threatening hemorrhage. However, in recent years, advances in endoscopic tools and hemostatic techniques have lessened these risks. The following case details the successful endoscopic resection of an intermittently obstructing giant colonic lipoma (6 cm) located in the descending colon utilizing the loop-assisted-snare resection technique.