Wyse, Aaron

Intravascular lipomas are rare benign tumors composed of adipose tissue that originate from the walls of blood vessels. They most commonly arise from veins, are typically asymptomatic, and rarely occur in the lower extremities. When large, these tumors can cause symptoms related to venous obstruction, such as swelling and pain. We report a case of a 75-year-old man with an intravascular lipoma in the right common femoral vein, identified during evaluation of lower extremity swelling and poorly healing ulcers. Surgical resection was ultimately required. This case contributes to the few published reports of pathologically proven symptomatic intravascular lipomas involving the lower extremity veins. Comprehensive preoperative imaging played a critical role in characterizing the lesion. The case facilitates a discussion of key differential diagnoses, such as atypical lipomatous tumors/well-differentiated liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma.

Case: A 25-year-old male pole vaulter presented with several months of right ankle pain. Radiographs showed an anterior tibial osteophyte with a small intra-articular body suggesting impingement. Weight-bearing computed tomography (CT) revealed an associated tibial plafond stress fracture. Subsequent arthroscopy with osteophyte resection and loose body removal significantly improved symptoms, and he gradually resumed training. Conclusion: Stress fractures should always be considered in athletes with ankle pain. A unique aspect of this case was the use of weight-bearing CT in diagnosis and surgical planning. To our knowledge, this is the first described case in which weight-bearing CT was used in this fashion.