A case of lipohyperplasia of the appendix

Kwon, Dae Sik; Shin, Tae Won; Park, Chang Keun; Park, Seung Keun; Park, Hee Wook; Ok, Jong Han; Kim, Hae Sook

Abstract

Large intestinal Lipohyperplasia (LPH) is a poorly recognized lesion characterized by adipose tissue infiltration in the submucosal layer of the colon. Most of all, LPH developed at Ileoceal valve, especially upper lip which was called by ileocecal valve syndrome. For endoscopists and radiologists, it has often remained difficult to make a distinction from malignant neoplasia. We report here the case of a mild obese, 51-year-old man who had polypoid lipohyperplasia of the colon associated with extreme hyperplasia of the appendix. His chief complaint was recurrent intermittent abdominal pain. The colonoscopic finding was a submucosal tumor-like polypoid mass originating from appendix with smooth surface, But ileocecal valve was intact. Abdominal CT finding was 2.5 cm sized round heterogeneous low density mass like lesion with intratumoral fatty density of cecal tip area with enhancement of peripheral portion. In barium enema study, after retrograde filling of contrast, smooth extrinsic indentation of cecal tip with partial filling of appendix was seen. Histological exemination revealed infiltration of mature adipose tissue in the submucosal layer. Because of recurrent abdominal pain, ileocecal resection was performed at operation. We discuss the case and review the literatures on this subject.