Lipoma, hygroma, hamartoma - what's the difference?
Lipoma (“wen”) consists of mature adipose tissue, is soft, mobile, and grows slowly. Hygroma is a cavity filled with viscous fluid associated with a joint or tendon sheath, most often on the wrist; it may temporarily decrease and fill up again. Hamartoma is a tissue malformation, a benign proliferation of normal cells in an abnormal combination. The general principle of treatment is the same: complete excision along with the capsule. This is especially important for hygroma - puncture and pumping out the contents almost always recur, while removal along with the stem and capsule solves the problem completely.
Removal of benign skin lesions
Lipoma (“wen”), atheroma, hygroma and fibroma are benign formations that do not resolve on their own. While they are small, removal takes 20–30 minutes and leaves minimal scarring.
As the formation grows, the operation becomes more complicated: the incision increases, the risk of suppuration and relapse increases if the capsule is not completely removed. Therefore, postponing intervention is inappropriate.
Why is histology important?
An externally benign formation in rare cases turns out to be malignant. Histological examination of the removed material is a mandatory standard that gives an accurate answer about its nature.