IT IS NOT generally realized that the diagnosis of lipoma of the colon can often be made with considerable confidence by barium enema examination.1,2 This is of practical importance since these tumors are benign and never become malignant. They are encapsulated, and, if operated on, can usually be removed through a simple colotomy or by myotomy and enucleation without entering the lumen of the bowel.
Ninety percent of lipomas originate in the submucosa and grow slowly over a period of years without producing any symptoms.3 They are commonly identified in older individuals, are usually single, greater than 3 cm in diameter, and involve the right side of the colon more often than the left. Due to motor activity of the colon and contraction of the muscularis propria deep to the tumor, there is a progressive tendency for extrusion of the submucosal mass into the lumen of the bowel.