Deep Cervical Lipomas: Case Series and Scoping Review of the Literature.

Authors

Meghana Bhaskara, Emily H Chestnut, Brent Molden, Diane W Chen, David A Campbell, Avinash Mantravadi, Michael Moore, Michael W Sim, Jessica A Yesensky, Janice L Farlow

Published in

The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology. Pages 34894261467355. Jul 12, 2026. Epub Jul 12, 2026.

Abstract

Management of deep cervical lipomas (DCLs) is described only in case reports and series in the literature. We aim to present a scoping review of this literature and the largest case series of surgically resected DCLs to describe presentation, workup, and efficacy of transcervical resection for DCLs.
A systematic search for surgically resected solitary DCLs was conducted in PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), Scopus, and Cochrane library on 12/19/2025 using PRISMA methodology. Study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251052065) and articles were screened independently by 2 authors, with conflicts resolved by a third reviewer. All solitary DCLs resected via a transcervical approach at a tertiary center from 2014 to 2025 were reviewed.
From a total of 1459 articles, 144 studies met criteria, and 163 cases (median age 45 years, 25.2% pediatric, 67.5% male) were included. The most common presenting symptom was swelling (81.6%), and 63.2% were enlarging. A total of 232 imaging studies, most commonly CT (n = 102), were conducted amongst 90.8% of patients for an average of 1.4 imaging studies per patient. Biopsy was performed in 27.6% of patients, with 43.4% of biopsies being inconclusive or inconsistent with benign fatty tumor. Postoperative complaints were noted for 9.8% of patients, with only 3.1% (n = 5) having persistent complaints. Two recurrences were noted. The institutional cohort of 10 patients (median age 55 years, 10% pediatric, 90% male, 90% non-Hispanic White) mirrored the literature, with the most common presenting symptom being palpable neck mass (80%), at least one imaging study per patient on average, no persistent complaints, and one recurrence.
DCLs are less common than subcutaneous lipomas but follow a similar clinical course. Presentation most commonly occurs as a palpable mass, most of which are enlarging. Imaging without biopsy is often sufficient for workup. Transcervical resection is diagnostic and therapeutic with minimal morbidity.

PMID:
42437867
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 13 Jul 2026.

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