Diagnosis and treatment of upper eyelid lipoma: A case report

PURPOSE: Presentation of a rare lesion: a case of upper eyelid lipoma, OBSERVATIONS: A 76-year-old otherwise healthy woman presented with a right upper eyelid swelling. Her medical history was recorded. On ophthalmologic examination a soft, non-ulcerated and not well-circumscribed mass was evident. An ultrasonography examination was carried out showing a hyperechoic non capsulated mass situated between the superior orbital margin and the orbicularis oculi muscle. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Eyelid lipomas must be differentiated from herniated orbital fat, cystic lesions, tumours, and the lacrimal gland. A pre-operative differential diagnosis of eyelid lipoma can be done through medical history, ophthalmologic, and ultrasonography examinations. Nevertheless, in case of doubt a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be performed to assess a possible orbital involvement and to plan for the right surgical procedure to be performed.