Kidney lipoma - how dangerous is the tumor and how to treat it?

A kidney lipoma is formed from the tissue that covers the organ - parenchyma. Thus, in this case the kidney will always be in the capsule.

Formation in the kidney from adipose tissue

The tumor consists of adipose tissue and can reach 25 cm. Unlike cancer cells, it does not grow inside the organ, but only compresses the surrounding tissue, but its mechanical damage can lead to bleeding.

Attention! Under unfavorable conditions, the tumor may degenerate into a malignant one. Therefore, lipoma monitoring and treatment is mandatory.

The main components of wen

We are talking about a wen located in a capsule. Lipomatosis indicates the formation of several tumors at once. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor without fail.

Otherwise, a person will develop serious health problems, even death.

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Lipoma is formed from the fatty membrane of the kidney. The tumor contains lipocytes with a large amount of lipids. It is surrounded by fibrous tissue.

At the initial stage, the neoplasm does not cause symptoms in humans. Symptoms of pathological processes appear when the tumor grows and puts pressure on nearby organs and tissues.

Kidney lipoma is a benign neoplasm that arises from the perinephric tissue or, more simply, the fatty membrane of the organ. Structurally, a lipoma consists of lipocytes containing a large amount of lipids. The tumor is surrounded by a membrane of fibrous tissue. It separates the tumor from adjacent structures.

The nature of lipoma formation continues to be studied. And at the moment there are several options for the reasons why a kidney lipoma forms.

The occurrence of pathology is possible when:

1. Predisposition to neoplasms transmitted from parents;
2. alcohol abuse, smoking;
3. adverse environmental factors;
4. metabolic disorders.

The appearance of lipoma is most often typical in cases of excess weight and decreased immunity.

Symptoms

At the initial stage of development of kidney lipoma, no signs arise. While the neoplasm is small in size, it does not disrupt the functioning of this organ. Due to the slow growth of the tumor, patients may not know for a long time that they are developing a wen.

Symptoms of kidney lipoma begin to appear when the formation parameters exceed 4 cm. The following manifestations are observed:

• Pain of a dull nature in the area where the affected organ is located.
• Discharge of blood when urinating.
• Pain when emptying the bladder.
• Swelling of the lower extremities.
• Increased blood pressure.

If the tumor ruptures inside, sharp and severe pain occurs. In this case, urgent medical intervention is required.

Lipoma and pregnancy

The presence of lipoma during pregnancy has an adverse effect on tumor growth. Under the influence of hormones produced during gestation, the adipose tissue that makes up the tumor rapidly grows. As a rule, pathology in a pregnant woman is detected during an ultrasound examination.

In most cases, a wen on the kidney does not affect the development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy. However, a woman should be under close medical supervision throughout her gestation period to prevent complications. If severe symptoms are present and there is a threat to the patient’s life, depending on the stage of pregnancy, she is given an abortion or an emergency caesarean section and the fatty formation is removed.

Reasons for the formation of kidney lipoma

Until now, scientists have not figured out the exact cause of the formation of lipoma on the kidney. Experts tend to consider this pathology multifactorial, that is, multiple causes will lead to its occurrence.

There are two forms of kidney lipoma:

• An isolated tumor that occurs in 90% of cases.
• A tumor associated with tuberous sclerosis, which occurs in 10% of cases. This pathology is also called Bourneville-Pringle disease. If the reasons for the formation of an isolated kidney lipoma remain in question, then kidney lipoma against the background of Bourneville-Pringle disease is a genetic disease. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. The prevalence of the disease among newborns varies from 5 to 7 cases per 100 thousand children. In this case, patients are found to have multiple bilateral small lipomas on the kidneys, which consist of connective tissue, fat and epithelium. Large lipomas in Bourneville-Pringle disease are diagnosed less frequently.

Scientists suggest that the following factors can play a role in the formation of isolated kidney lipoma:

• Chronic inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system.
• Oncological lesions of the kidneys.
• Pregnancy. Angiolipomas in pregnant women develop due to a sharp increase in the level of estrogen and progesterone in the blood.
• Exposure to radiation.
• Smoking, drug use, alcoholism.
• Obesity and diabetes.

Factors influencing the occurrence of kidney wen

The exact cause of the formation of lipomas is not fully understood, as is the case with other tumor diseases. Presumably, its occurrence is influenced by metabolic diseases of the body, alcohol intake, smoking, adverse environmental influences, obesity, and radiation. It has been proven that the formation of a large number of lipomas (otherwise known as lipomatosis) is genetically determined; the transmission of such genes is due to an autosomal dominant type of inheritance.

In people suffering from lipomatosis, small fatty deposits are located throughout the body, mainly accumulating on the hips, abdomen, and shoulder area. At the same time, the predominance of this disease in men is clearly monitored. But with a single lipoma, the frequency of its occurrence is the same in females and males. Wen occurs with equal frequency in the right and left kidneys.

Modern medicine is able to determine not only the development of malignant processes, but also slow down their development and eliminate them. The causes of lipoma have not been fully studied by doctors, but there are certain provoking factors that are more often observed in patients:

1. Genetic inheritance. It's not just about the wen. It is important to visit doctors if you have relatives with cancer in your family.
2. Harmful work. Chemical reagents provoke the development of malignant processes.
3. Irradiation. All people who have undergone this procedure are at risk. The same goes for relatives.
4. Ecologically poor environment.
5. Sedentary lifestyle. Material metabolism is disrupted. The risk of excess fat tissue turning into lipoma increases.
6. Bad habits. Dangerous chemicals enter the human body, which provoke the development of pathological processes.
7. Numerous diseases that disrupt metabolism.
8. Overweight. This factor affects many kidney pathologies.
9. Poor nutrition. It is necessary to monitor the correct diet.
10. Disturbance of sleep and rest. This is an important health factor for everyone.
11. An activity in which a person has to use physical force. This especially applies to women who lift weights, or men due to their profession.

Most provoking factors can be controlled, but this is not the entire list of reasons against which lipoma formation occurs.

A person can prevent the appearance of a tumor if he adheres to an active lifestyle and gives up bad habits.

Preventive actions

Nobody wants to get sick. Moreover, such a phenomenon as a wen causes a lot of trouble and worry. Of course, a person is not able to influence genetic predisposition. But he is simply obliged to take protective measures. In order to minimize the likelihood of disease, it is enough to follow a number of simple rules:

• Undergo medical examinations and tests annually;
• Get rid of bad habits: smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc.;
• If you are overweight, lose weight and follow a diet;
• Lead a healthy lifestyle: eat a balanced diet, normalize your daily routine, exercise, eliminate stressful situations.

Prognosis and prevention

Preventing the development of lipoma is simple. It is enough to follow the useful recommendations of doctors:

• to refuse from bad habits;
• eat right, exclude fatty and spicy foods from the diet;
• adhere to a diet periodically;
• maintain light physical activity.

Undergo preventive examination and promptly treat any kidney disorders. The prognosis is favorable if a benign neoplasm is identified in a timely manner and eliminated.

Lipoma does not pose a serious danger to humans as long as it develops at an early stage. A benign tumor must be treated. Without proper therapy, it will progress and put pressure on nearby tissues and organs.

Complex forms require surgical intervention. Doctors recommend seeking qualified help. Self-medication can worsen your health condition.

Research shows that kidney lipoma rarely develops into malignant pathologies. Most asymptomatic tumors are not removed after confirmation of their benign nature.

Doctors choose a wait-and-see approach for small lesions and perform a fine-needle biopsy. Surgery with complete excision cures the disease and reduces the likelihood of relapse.

• endoscopic surgery;
• organ-conserving surgery;
• partial or complete nephrectomy;
• Tumor embolization involves the use of coagulation of the vessels feeding the lipoma.

Nephrectomy is needed in the presence of large tumors. Since the fatty tissues are in capsules, treatment with folk remedies does not affect the cells, but can support the function of the organ.

There are several types of fatty tumors with the inclusion of cellular components: angiolipomas with vascular tissues, myelolipomas with muscle ones. Scientists conducted an experiment on differential diagnosis using ultrasound (ultrasound). The formations are distinguished by an extremely dense hyperechoic signal.

The detection of diffuse hamartomas is associated with the development of tuberous sclerosis. The peculiarity of echogenicity is associated with adipose tissue and allows for accurate preoperative diagnosis of benign formations. Confirmation of angiolipoma using ultrasound allows you to prescribe conservative therapy and preserve a functioning kidney.

The prognosis for patients with kidney lipoma is favorable. The tumor is benign and incapable of malignancy. Most often, it tends to grow slowly, which makes it possible to avoid surgery throughout your life.

As for the prevention of neoplasms, there are no specific recommendations on this matter, since the exact cause of the formation of renal lipoma has not yet been established. Therefore, all the advice that experts give on this matter boils down to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits and timely treatment of diseases of the urinary system.

Author of the article: Volkov Dmitry Sergeevich | Ph.D. surgeon, phlebologist

Education: Moscow State Medical and Dental University (1996). In 2003, he received a diploma from the educational and scientific medical center for the administration of the President of the Russian Federation.

Our authors

The prognosis for kidney lipoma is favorable and depends on high-quality and timely treatment. If a tumor is detected, the patient is registered in the nephrology department and monitored with regular monitoring of urine and blood tests, and ultrasound.

Despite their slow growth, lipomas significantly impair kidney function, provoke bleeding, and necrotic changes in organ tissue. There is no specific prevention of the pathological process, however, risks can be reduced by improving the health of the body, controlling body weight, and timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system.

Read how kidney polyps are treated in this article.

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Be healthy and happy!

With timely diagnosis, lipoma in the kidney area has a good prognosis. Even with a large tumor, complex therapy allows you to completely get rid of it. Without treatment, kidney wen can be fatal.

Prevention includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a proper and balanced diet, and playing sports to prevent obesity. Periodic visits to the doctor and ultrasound examination will detect pathology at the beginning of its development, which makes the prognosis more favorable.

Treatment of kidney lipoma

Kidney lipoma does not always require surgery. Often the doctor chooses a wait-and-see approach. Small neoplasms do not disrupt the functioning of the organ and do not provoke the development of complications. Therefore, if the lipoma grows slowly, dynamic observation is possible. To do this, the patient must undergo a kidney ultrasound at least once every six months. It is also important to take a urine test to determine whether there is blood in it. The patient must independently monitor blood pressure. Patients with kidney lipoma should undergo a CT scan once a year.

As for drug therapy, it is ineffective in treating kidney lipoma. If the patient is being prepared for surgery, then before the operation it is possible to take drugs that reduce the intensity of pain, as well as drugs that lower blood pressure.

Surgery is resorted to when the tumor exceeds 4 cm in diameter.

Other indications for surgical removal of a tumor:

• Rapid increase in lipoma size.
• Development of renal failure.
• Lipoma rupture or kidney infarction.
• High risk of internal bleeding.

Surgery is the only method that allows you to get rid of the tumor forever.

Types of operations that can be performed to remove a tumor:

• Resection.

  During the operation, the surgeon removes only the lipoma itself and part of the organ. Resection can be performed using the classic method, where the doctor uses a scalpel to make an incision in the back to gain access to the affected kidney. This procedure carries a high risk of bleeding and requires a long recovery period. Resection can also be performed using endoscopic equipment. This is a less traumatic operation in which several small incisions are made.

• Nephrectomy.

  Nephrectomy involves complete removal of the kidney along with the tumor. This operation is performed when the patient is admitted in serious condition, for example, with a ruptured lipoma of a large size or with a kidney infarction.

• Embolization.

  This is a new treatment method for renal lipoma, which is supplied by blood vessels. During the operation, the doctor blocks the vessel feeding the tumor. To do this, he injects a special drug into the artery, blocking the lumen of the vessel. The lipoma ceases to receive the substances necessary for its growth and development, which leads to its gradual decrease in size.

Embolization is not used when the kidney lipoma is represented predominantly by fat cells and has a poor blood supply. In general, embolization is used extremely rarely as an independent method of treating lipoma. It is indicated for patients with large tumors as a preparatory stage for the upcoming resection. By cutting off the nutrition, the tumor will decrease in size, and then a radical operation can be performed with less loss for the patient.

Types of pathology

In medicine, there are different types of lipoma:

1. Hibernoma. More common in newborns. It is brown in color and consists of fat.
2. Classic lipoma. Formed from adipose tissue.
3. Myelolipoma. The tumor consists of adipose tissue and bone marrow.
4. Fibrolipoma. The neoplasm involves the combination of adipose and connective tissue.
5. Myxolipoma. It consists of mucous tissue and fat.
6. Myolipoma. A tumor formed from muscle and fat tissue.
7. Angiolipoma. Wen with blood vessels.

The classic type of tumor is more common. The treatment is the same for everyone. Without therapy, kidney function is impaired.

The effectiveness of therapy depends on the causes

Provocateurs of the disease

People with bad habits, relatives with cancer, and living in poor environmental conditions are susceptible to kidney lipoma.
It is almost impossible to prevent the appearance of formations; their development is facilitated by a wide range of irritating factors:

• Heredity is more common in those who had relatives with cancer at birth.
• Harmful production. Work in industries related to chemical processing.
• Polluted ecology.
• Large dose of radiation.
• Obesity, low physical activity. Metabolism is disrupted, which contributes to the development of wen.
• Unbalanced diet.
• Mechanical injuries. Falls, blows to the area where the organ is located.
• Hard physical work.

Clinical signs

In the early stages of development of lipoma in the kidney, a person does not feel characteristic symptoms. A small tumor does not cause discomfort. The progression of the pathology leads to the following symptoms:

• blood impurities in the urine;
• high blood pressure;
• human performance decreases;
• general health worsens, malaise and weakness appear;
• painful sensations appear;
• body weight decreases, appetite worsens;
• body temperature rises.

A severe form of the disease causes signs of intoxication in humans. Men complain of pain in the back and abdomen.

This is explained by the expansion of the lumen of the seminal canal vein. If the wen is significant in size, the doctor can feel it with his fingers.

During pregnancy, a woman's hormone levels increase. They promote the growth of benign neoplasms.

In most cases, doctors detect a lipoma during a routine ultrasound examination. Treatment is carried out with folk remedies, the tumor progresses quickly without the use of drugs.

Doctors prescribe special medications to stop the growth of lipoma. The operation is performed after the birth of the child. Wen does not pose a danger to the health of the woman and baby.

Clinical manifestations of a benign tumor

What does it look like

Until the lipoma reaches a large size, the patient may not feel any symptoms. Most often, the patient learns about the presence of a benign tumor during the next examination.

Symptoms of an enlarged tumor:

• Sharp cutting pain in the kidney area.
• Pain in the lumbar region.
• Increased blood pressure
• Due to the high pressure of the lipoma, due to its growth, some blood may appear in the urine on the kidneys.
• Hematuria.

A basic examination of the kidney area using finger pressure can reveal a large tumor. Clinical descriptions of the manifestations of lipoma indicate that the main threat is posed by pressure on the kidney. Only an experienced specialist can prescribe competent treatment.

Diagnostic measures

The patient is observed by an oncologist. Modern methods make it possible to detect lipoma at an early stage of development during a routine examination. If the patient has complaints, the doctor additionally prescribes the following diagnostic methods:

• X-ray of the kidneys, pelvis, ureters;
• computed tomography;
• ultrasonography;
• laboratory tests;
• ultrasound angiography;
• biopsy.

An informative method is ultrasound. The specialist determines the location of the tumor, the size of the lipoma and its structure.

This diagnostic method is inferior to computed tomography. The doctor receives the most accurate results after the examination.

Diagnostics

A lipoma can be detected by performing an ultrasound examination of the kidneys. It is this method that plays the leading role in terms of identifying neoplasms. During the examination, the doctor visualizes a homogeneous tumor, which is limited to the renal parenchyma. The structure of the renal pelvis will be disrupted. The degree of impairment depends on the size of the tumor.

Computed tomography for diagnosing kidney lipoma is a more informative method. The doctor gets the opportunity to objectively assess the tumor. The image will show the structure of the tumor, all the vessels feeding it, areas of high and low density.

MRI of the kidneys is a more expensive research method, so it is used less often when the doctor still has doubts about the correctness of the diagnosis. MRI allows you to examine the lipoma in detail in different planes.

Angiography is performed to clarify the vascularization of the tumor. The image will clearly show the vessels that feed the lipoma. This study is necessary before the upcoming operation.

A puncture biopsy is the only method that makes it possible to make a 100% correct diagnosis. Sampling of tumor tissue for histological analysis allows us to identify the nature of the cells and exclude the presence of a malignant tumor. A biopsy is taken only during surgery to remove a lipoma.

Traditional methods

Treatment for lipoma in the kidney is prescribed by the doctor after an established diagnosis based on the research results. In most cases, patients are indicated for surgical intervention, especially if characteristic signs appear and the affected area is enlarged.

Medicines are prescribed to patients to slow the growth of the tumor. It is important to stop the progression of pathological processes. Additionally, immunotherapy is performed. Patients are prescribed:

1. Interferon. The drug has immunomodulatory and antitumor effects. The dosage and course of treatment are prescribed by the doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient and the course of pathological processes.
2. Interleukin-2. The drug is used for complex therapy of malignant neoplasms. When stage 1 tumor develops, the patient is administered 0.5 mg 24 hours before surgery. At stage 3 of pathology, 1 mg every other day. In the last stages of lipoma development, the patient is administered 3 mg. The doctor prescribes a second course of treatment for patients after 1-2 months.

The doctor selects the most effective therapy. The specialist takes into account the individual characteristics of the patient’s body, the course of benign processes, as well as the results after research and analysis.

You should deal with lipoma on your own strictly under the supervision of a doctor.

The patient is prescribed surgery if the tumor has reached 5 cm. Modern medicine provides numerous laparoscopic methods. To remove it, the following surgical methods are used:

1. Resection. During the procedure, the lipoma is completely removed with the capsule. General anesthesia is used. The patient faces a long period of rehabilitation. In most cases, the treatment outcome is positive.
2. Embolic method. During surgery, surgeons remove the vessel that feeds the tumor. It stops growing and gradually decreases.
3. Cryoablation. Doctors use low temperatures during surgery.

If the tumor is large enough and the kidney has stopped working, doctors perform a nephrectomy. The procedure involves complete removal of the affected organ.

ethnoscience

Recipes from witch doctors and healers are used in the early stages of the disease after consultation with a doctor. They are effective if the lipoma does not affect the functioning of the circulatory system and does not put pressure on nearby organs.

It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the human body and the course of pathological processes. The risk of an allergic reaction is high.

Recipes:

1. Propolis tincture. In 1 tbsp. Dilute 30 drops of water and take 3 r. per day. The course of treatment is prescribed by the doctor, but not less than 3 months.
2. Walnut tincture. You need to take the green fruits, cut them and place them in a jar. Pour vodka and leave for a month. For treatment, take 2 tbsp of tincture. l. 2 r. per day.
3. Wormwood. The tincture is taken 3 times. 15-20 drops per day.

Bee pollen and burdock juice stop the proliferation of tumor cells. Therapy should be carried out carefully, taking into account contraindications and side effects.

Numerous herbs and decoctions not only slow down the growth of benign neoplasms. They promote its resorption.

Focal neoplasms belong to the field of nephrology, surgery, oncology, and urology. Given the absence or vagueness of symptoms at an early stage of development, the disease is often diagnosed incidentally during a kidney examination for preventive purposes or for another disease.

If a fatty tumor is suspected, a number of the following examinations are performed:

• studying the clinical and life history of the patient;
• examination and palpation of the kidneys;
• blood, urine, stool tests;
• X-ray of the kidneys with contrast;
• ultrasound examination of the kidneys, abdominal organs, pelvis;
• biopsy (in rare cases, usually during surgery).

The “gold standard” in the diagnosis of focal tumors of internal organs is magnetic resonance or computed tomography. Thanks to MRI and CT, the doctor has the opportunity to study the structure of tumors as accurately as possible, differentiate them from cystic kidney lesions, tumors of a different nature and filling.

Treatment with folk remedies should be carried out under the supervision of your doctor. Among the most common treatment options are propolis and beebread tincture. The first should be taken three times a day, 25-30 drops, diluted with water. The course of treatment is 2-3 months.

Wormwood is also a popular remedy. Take it 15 drops a day also three times.

It is recommended to crush the walnuts and infuse them with alcohol, taking one spoon at a time. Decoctions based on celandine, immortelle, linden, and calendula are widely used.

It is important to remember that there is an individual intolerance to some components, especially bee products.

Possible consequences

If timely medical care is not provided, a large number of complications can occur, including failure of the normal functioning of the kidney. As a rule, regular medical examination, correct diagnosis of the disease and reasonable treatment will not lead to consequences or complications.

After surgery, a person may have a long recovery period, it depends on the method of the operation, the quality of the operation and the personal characteristics of the body.

If the disease has not been started, then the consequences are practically excluded.

Symptoms

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At the formation stage, there are no symptoms of lipoma. Signs appear only as the tumors grow and dynamically develop.

If the patient has a history of nephrourological diseases, chronic renal failure, or other concomitant pathologies, then the first signs of wen are usually erased and hidden behind the manifestations of the main clinical conditions.

Patients present the following complaints:

• dull or nagging pain in the back in the projection of the kidneys;
• dyspeptic disorders;
• hematuria - the appearance of blood in the urine (macro- or microhematuria);
• frequent exacerbations of inflammatory kidney diseases;
• arterial hypertension;
• dysuric disorders;
• swelling of the lower extremities, which persist even after rest.

Laboratory tests indicate a decrease in creatinine clearance, an increase in creatinine, urea, and residual nitrogen. The blood becomes acidic. The addition of the inflammatory process is accompanied by painful urination and increased body temperature.

Rupture of a lipoma resembles a picture of an “acute abdomen” with a complex of gastrointestinal symptoms, hemorrhagic shock, and renal colic. With the development of arterial hypertension, the cardiovascular system suffers, signs of heart failure appear with tachycardia, heart rhythm disturbances, and a decrease in the myocardial cardiac ejection fraction.

Often, a large lipid node in the kidneys is complicated by vascular rupture due to the rapid growth of muscle structures, damage to the capsule, and the formation of new fatty tumors.

What factors lead to the disease

Doctors have not yet established the exact causes of kidney lipomas. So far, medicine has identified only risk factors that can lead to the disease:

• radiation exposure;
• pregnancy;
• predisposition at the genetic level;
• bad habits (especially alcohol addiction);
• constant stress.

Like other tumors, the wen can begin to grow quickly. Unlike a simple wen on the skin, a kidney lipoma has a greater chance of degenerating into a malignant formation. That is why doctors recommend resection of the organ and removal of the wen.

Oncologists are involved in diagnosing and treating such tumors, as there is a high risk of degeneration. They note that most often one organ is affected (usually the left). From practice, doctors note that most often adipose tissue grows in the kidneys of overweight people. Women are more susceptible to this disease due to the use of untested weight loss products.

It is urgent to treat the tumor because it is subject to constant trauma in the kidneys. When wen forms in the kidneys, the patient cannot control his condition. That is why a patient with a detected tumor is immediately placed under inpatient or outpatient medical supervision.