Lipoma of the parietal peritoneum : An unusual cause of abdominal pain

A lipoma is a very common benign soft tissue tumor that is composed of mature fat. It represents by far the most common mesenchymal neoplasm in adults, occurring throughout the whole body.1-3 It can be single or multiple (lipomatosis) and superficially or deeply localized.2 Most become apparent in patients between the ages 40 and 60 years and, when unexcised, persist for the remainder of life; they hardly increase in size after an initial growth period. Statistics as to incidence by sex vary, but most studies report a higher incidence in men.1 Mature lipomas in adults have a predilection for the trunk. Deep lipomas have been reported in the thorax, mediastinum, chest wall, pelvis, retroperitoneum, and paratesticular region.4 In the gastrointestinal tract, lipomas are mainly found in the submucosa and subserosa of the small and large intestines, and are mostly an incidental finding at laparotomy and autopsy. They are solitary or multiple, and present as a sessile or pedunculated mass; sometimes they are associated with ulceration and bleeding, intussusception, Crohn’s disease, or malignancies.1 These benign tumors can cause various gastrointestinal symptoms such as obstruction and abdominal pain.5 Intraperitoneal lipoma is extremely rare.4 We encountered a case of a lipoma of the parietal peritoneum in 67-year-old woman presenting with acute abdominal pain.