Can Trauma Cause Lipoma?

Question

I had an injury on my head, neck and left shoulder 2 decades ago.  Since then, my left shoulder has bothered me and the area that was hit by a canec tile developed a lipoma.  Can a lipoma be due to trauma?  How can you tell if a lipoma is directly related to prior trauma?  What kind of surgeon would you go to for removal of intramuscular and intermuscular lipoma involving the rhomboid muscle of the shoulder? The lipoma size is about 6-8 inches in diameter.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Lipomas are benign fatty tumors that occur under the skin and less commonly within the muscle. They are associated with mild discomfort and a lump underneath the skin. It is always best to talk to an expert plastic surgeon to determine whether the lipoma is possibly a cyst or a tumor or hernia. We would have to remove the lipoma to be sure that it is not something else and we usually do this by sending it to a pathologist for evaluation. If a lipoma is painful, then an exam is needed to make sure it is not compressing on a nerve or whether the diagnosis is different. Aftercare for a lipoma includes gentle compression and Plato’s Scar Serum twice daily on the wound.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Tanveer Janjua, MD · Answer

A lipoma is not related to trauma. Your lipoma in the rhomboid muscle in the shoulder should be removed by a plastic surgeon. If it is superficial and only in skin (subcutaneous) it can be removed by liposuction. If  it is in the muscle then you will need open surgery.
Regards

Can Trauma Cause Lipoma?

Answers (2)