Lipoma of Parotid Gland

A Rare Case

Abstract

Lipoma is a common benign tumour which is mesenchymal in origin and arises in every location where fat is normally present, 13% of these occur in the head and neck region. Rarely, Lipoma can arise in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and parotid gland.¹ Their occurrence in the head and neck is rare in the first place, even more at the level of the parotid region where they may occur adjacent to the parotid capsule, inside the capsule, or within the substance of the gland.²  The incidence of lipoma among parotid tumours ranges from 0.6% to 4.4%, with most series reporting an incidence of 1%.³ Over a period of two decades, only two cases of parotid lipoma were reported from India⁴ and one from Pakistan.⁵ Concerning the age of onset, lipoma are most common from the fifth to the sixth decades of life. Those in deep lobe have been reported to be highest in fourth decade.⁴ Recently, improved preoperative evaluation techniques, including the use of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and fine-needle aspiration (FNA), have enabled a more accurate assessment of these tumors and a rational approach to their management.⁶ Surgical excision of these tumors is always necessary for definitive diagnosis⁷, but it is challenging because of the facial nerve which courses throughout the parotid gland and could be damaged during surgery if not performed traditionally and by experienced hands.