Table of Contents
Definition / general | Terminology | Epidemiology | Clinical features | Case reports | Treatment | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional referencesCite this page: Singh C. Lipoma arborescens. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/softtissueadiposelipomaarb.html. Accessed June 9th, 2023.
Definition / general
- Fatty infiltration of subsynovial connective tissue in a large joint
- Rarely affects synovial sheaths of tendons (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 2009;99:153)
Terminology
- Also called villous lipomatous proliferation of synovial membrane, diffuse lipoma of joint
- Not a WHO diagnosis
Epidemiology
- Rare
- Older patients, usually male, associated with joint trauma, degenerative joint disease and chronic arthritis
Clinical features
- Usually knee
- May be a reactive process
- MRI is useful in diagnosis (Radiol Med 2005;109:540)
Case reports
- 24 year old man with lipoma arborescens affecting multiple joints (Skeletal Radiol 2005;34:536)
- Lipoma arborescens of the knee (Knee 2005;12:394)
Treatment
- Synovectomy
- May recur since often is a reactive process
Gross description
- Yellow fat in villous fronds
Gross images
Contributed by Mark R. Wick, M.D.
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Hypertrophic villous projections of fat lined by synovial cells, variable scattered inflammatory cells
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Mark R. Wick, M.D.
Images hosted on other servers:
Synovial lined villous proliferation, H&E
Additional references
