Giant vulvar lipoma grossly mimicking inguino-scrotal hernia: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Lipoma is a benign soft tissue lesion of the subcutaneous fat that can affect different parts of the body. The lipoma of the vulva is rare with only few cases reported so far. The affected females may also delayed presentation due to the location in the external genitalia that are usually covered with clothing and also due to shyness in exposing the site of the lesion for clinical examination and imaging evaluation. Sometimes, lipoma that is located in the vulva may also lead to sexual deprivations from spouses of the affected females for aesthetic reasons. The clinical diagnosis is usually based on history of progressive vulvar swelling over a period of time, clinical examinations, imaging modalities (such as ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and subsequent histopathological confirmation. Herein, we present a case of giant left vulvar lipoma that grossly mimics an inguinoscrotal hernia at a rural hospital in South-Western Nigeria.