INTRA ORAL LIPOMA - AN UNUSUAL SITE AND SIZE

Intra Oral Lipoma

Abstract

Lipomas are benign tumours composed of adipocytes. They are very frequent in the human body, but in the oral cavity there is rare manifestation [1]. In international literature references are mainly case reports. 13% of the lipomas arise in the head and neck region [2]. The incidence of lipomas in the oral cavity is 1.0% - 4.5% of all benign oral lesions [3]. Oral lipomas occur at various sites but the most common sites are buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth and tongue, followed by lip, palate and vestibule [4]. Usually they are single lesions, [5] but occasionally may be multiple in some syndromes like Gardner’s or Bourneville’s [6]. They seldom present before the third decade of life and have a slight gender predilection towards males [7, 8]. Most lipomas grow insidiously and their exact etiology is unknown but some risk factors, like trauma, infection, chronic irritation and hormonal alterations have been associated [9]. The clinical course is usually painless and asymptomatic until they reach a large size to produce compressive symptoms and deformities. In some cases they can cause pain due to infections caused by accidental trauma. They seldom cause masticatory or deglutatory alterations and dentofacial deformities [10]. The superficially located lipoma is fairly characteristic in its clinical appearance, a smooth surfaced, yellowish-pink mass covered by a readily vascular network. The deep-seated tumors do not have this characteristic clinical appearanceand consequently are more difficult to detect and remove. Patients tend to overlook these lesions because they are so innocuous .