How Can Some Of There Lipomas Be Removed in Familial Lipomatosis?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I came across your name while researching online. I am living with multiple familial lipomatosis. My lipomas started appearing about ten years ago, and their number and size have gradually increased over the years. The largest and most bothersome ones are located on my thighs.I am currently followed by my general practitioner, but according to him, there is nothing to be done as this condition is benign.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to live with this condition and carry out daily activities. I read that you offer solutions such as SmartLipo or other less invasive methods than conventional surgery to remove or reduce the size of lipomas. If you can help me with this condition, or refer me to a plastic surgeon in Canada who could perform the same type of procedure, I will pay for your services and advice.

Thank you, and have a great day.

A:Thank you for your inquiry and describing your lipoma condition. Having treated numerous familial lipomatosis patients it is a symptomatic approach rather than a cure. In most cases you try to do as many as you can, in which I have done up to 100 lipomas excisions in a single patient. While non-excisional methods may be used in the patient with discreet lipomas whose primary goal just to avoid scar this is not an approach that I will use in the familial lipomatosis patient. There are simply too many of them and such non excisional approaches leave behind some of the fatty tumor and most importantly, its vascular pedicle, which only means the risk of recurrence is high. Well I never like to place multiple small scars in a single area the familial lipomatosis patient is a lot more accepting of such scars given their condition.

This type of excisional surgery is tedious and I am not as enthusiastic about doing it as I have done in the past. But  I need to take a look at the assignment to see how extensive it is. Since the most problematic ones are on your thighs please send me some pictures of your thighs at your convenience for my consideration.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon