Colonic lipoma as an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction in adults: a case report

Abstract

Lipomas are found throughout the gastrointestinal tract, although 65-75% are in the colon. Colonic lipomas are benign, non-epithelial fatty neoplasms with an incidence of 0,2% to 4,4%; however, it is the third most common benign tumor of the colon. Most are asymptomatic and do not require treatment. Occasionally, they present complications such as intestinal obstruction, intussusception, or hemorrhage requiring surgical resolution; in these cases, the differentiation from a malignant tumor is very difficult, and the final diagnosis is confirmed by pathological anatomy. This publication aims to present a case of intestinal obstruction secondary to colonic lipoma, where resection of the affected segment was performed, with the diagnosis of colonic lipoma being subsequently confirmed by histology.