Giant fibrolipoma with osseous metaplasia on the thigh

Abstract

Fibrolipomas are characterised by fat lobules embedded in perivascular oval fibrocytes and thick bundles of collagen. Actively growing superficial fibrolipomas rarely display a pedunculated protrusion and, thus, cosmetic and functional problems are uncommon. We present an exceptional case. While trauma and ischaemia can lead to fibrosis and dystrophic calcification in fibrolipomas as late sequelae, osseous and cartilaginous metaplasia can infrequently manifest after a long, chronic persistence. Further, depending on the chronic irritation, ulcerated wounds may develop on the surface, and these can be clinically confused with malignancy. In this article, we present a case of a pedunculated giant fibrolipoma manifesting metaplasic changes in its structure. (C) 2010 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.