Advance Lipoma Surgery

Pristyn Care is the right destination for lipoma treatment. We are a leading healthcare provider for the treatment of conditions that affect the physical appearance of an individual, including lipomas, sebaceous cysts, etc. We house a certified and well-trained team of plastic surgeons who have around 10 years of experience in treating lipomas successfully. 

Our plastic surgeons not only focus on removing the lump entirely but also ensure that the surgery is minimally invasive and doesn’t leave any scar. Our doctors combine liposuction and excision techniques to remove the lump completely and deliver the best possible results.

Diagnosis

During the initial consultation, the doctor will first physically examine the lipoma. The doctor will identify whether the skin-colored lump exhibits the symptoms of lipoma or liposarcoma (cancerous skin lumps). From the appearance, it can be difficult to differentiate between lipoma, liposarcoma, and other forms of cysts.

Thus, the doctor will touch the lipoma to see if it moves. The doctor will also check if the lipoma is causing pain. Though lipomas are normally painless, they can sometimes form over blood vessels and compress them, causing pain and discomfort.

If pain is present, the doctor will order lab tests to identify the condition accurately.

• Biopsy- A tissue sample of the skin lump is collected to look for signs of cancer growth.
• X-Ray- This test will provide a clear picture of the dense structure of the lipoma.
• MRI- This test will create better images of the fatty mass and its exact location.
• CT Scan- It is performed to see the fatty mass underneath the skin to confirm that the lump is composed of fatty tissues.

Procedure

After analyzing the test results, the doctor will choose the most suitable method of treatment and proceed with surgery as below-

During the surgery, the patient is taken to the OT (operation theater), and the procedure is carried out. The steps involved are mentioned below:

• A local anesthetic is injected into the targeted area to numb it. If the size of the lipoma is large, the anesthetist may recommend using regional or general anesthesia to carry out the procedure in a painless manner.
• An incision is made around the lipoma through which the liposuction cannula is inserted. The laser or ultrasound wave emitter is activated to emulsify or liquefy the fat tissues, respectively.
• Once the fat deposits are broken, they are extracted through the vacuum device safely.
• If fat tissues are left after liposuction, they will be excised directly through a scalpel.
• The incision is usually left to heal on its own, and as it heals, the wound will disappear completely without leaving a visible scar.

To prepare you for lipoma surgery, the doctor will ask the patient the following things:

• Lifestyle habits
• Prescribed medications
• Recreational drug usage
• Smoking and drinking habits
• Undergo a series of tests to analyze your overall health status

The doctor will also ask you to stop taking medicines like aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other supplements that can increase the risks of bleeding during the surgery.

If you have a habit of smoking, the doctor will also ask you to stop smoking at least a month before and after having the surgery.

During the Surgery
Lipoma surgery has the same risks and complications that usually occur during other surgical procedures. Thus, the potential risks involved are:

• Excessive bleeding
• Infection
• Hematoma
• Seroma
• Injury to the nearby vessels
• Excessive scarring
• Fat embolus

An experienced plastic surgeon knows how to mitigate these risks and perform the surgery successfully.

After the Surgery

As lipoma excision surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, the chances of complications are rare. Still, there is a slight possibility that the incision site may become infected. To prevent that, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic medicines and provide clear instructions on how to clean the wound. This will ensure that the recovery is smooth and the wound heals properly.

You should also look for symptoms like bleeding through the bandages after the surgery. This may happen if the stitches come apart. If any condition like this arises, seek medical care immediately.

Immediately after the surgery, you will be under observation for the next few hours. The doctor will observe your vitals and prepare you for discharge after evaluating your overall health. 

You may have slight pain, swelling, or bruising around the area that was treated, which will take a few days to disappear. Still, there may be minor risks of complications like infection or hematoma. To prevent such complications from arising, the doctor will give clear instructions and also provide a recovery guide to the patient. This will help the patient to recover smoothly and quickly after the surgery. 

Sometimes, a lipoma goes away on its own. However, in some cases, the lump may not disappear for a very long time and may cause some concerns. Some of the common reasons why people would opt for lipoma surgery are-

• The appearance of the lipoma is bothersome.
• Size of the lump keeps on increasing.
• The lump has started to cause discomfort and occasional pain.
• The location of the lump is awkward or sensitive.

The only alternative to lipoma surgery is steroid injections. The steroids shrink the fatty lumps to a great extent. But the patient will need multiple injections to dissolve the fatty tissues completely. As the steroid solution is directly injected into the lump, the results are quick. And the lipoma becomes unnoticeable. However, this method is not a permanent solution. There will still be chances of fat accumulation in the same place again.

If lipomas are left untreated for a long time, the lump will continue growing over the years. Though the growth rate will be slow, there is still a chance that the lump will become painful. This happens when the fat tissues consist of blood vessels. The accumulated fat starts to compress the nerves within the lump as well as the nerves underneath. This leads to pain and discomfort.

Furthermore, the larger the size of the lipoma, the harder it will be to remove it without harming the surrounding tissues and nerves. That’s why doctors often recommend seeking treatment for lipomas in the earlier stages.

There is also a risk that by delaying or ignoring lipoma treatment, you may end up ignoring a cancerous lump that can put your life at risk. Therefore, even if you don’t wish to undergo lipoma removal surgery, make sure that you get the lump diagnosed to rule out the possibility of cancer.

The results of lipoma surgery will be clearly visible as soon as the swelling and bruising subside. The lump will be gone completely. However, the complete recovery is likely to take 2-3 weeks, during which the patient has to listen to the doctor’s advice.

During the recovery period, the patient will have to follow the tips below- 

• Keep the incision dry and clean. 
• Avoid taking a shower or bath in a tub or swimming pool until the wound heals. 
• Remove or replace the bandage as advised by the doctor. 
• Check the incisions regularly for signs of infection. 
• Take proper rest and let pain be your guide to resume daily activities. 
• Use ice packs to keep the swelling in control. 
• Eat a healthy diet consisting of fiber-rich items. 
• Avoid eating oily and spicy food items. 
• Take regular follow-ups with the doctor to monitor the recovery.

A patient, Mr. Shivam Goyal (name changed), came to us complaining about a painful lump on his hand. He contacted us and asked to consult the best plastic surgeon in Delhi. We connected him with Dr. Ashwani Kumar. He diagnosed the patient and found multiple lipomas in different parts of the body and each one of a different size. He had 11 lipomas, and only one of them was causing pain. The doctor recommended undergoing lipoma excision surgery, to which the patient agreed.

His surgery was scheduled two days later, and Dr. Ashwani carried out the procedure safely. All of the lipomas were removed precisely. The surgery took around 2 hours, and the patient was kept in hospital for 24 hours. He was discharged on the next day and asked to follow several instructions. He was obedient and took good care of his health. He also came for follow-ups every week and was able to recover completely in 3 weeks.