Category
Threshold Criteria
Lipomas are harmless soft, fatty lumps that grow under the skin and do not usually require any treatment.
Eligibility
Surgical removal of lipoma where: · Lesion at least 4cm AND · Associated with severe functional disability* · Recurrent infection OR · Recurrent trauma due to size and/or position OR . Asymptomatic lipoma greater than 5 cm that still might require excision biopsy |
Referral guidelines recommend that patients with soft tissue masses with any of the following features should be referred urgently to a sarcoma multi-disciplinary team (MDT) for investigation and management: • Increasing in size • Painful Referral should include · Details of condition · Size of lesion · Evidence of functional/ trauma · Evidence of recurrent infection · Evidence of functional impairment |
Guidance
Removal should be undertaken in primary care wherever possible as this is more cost effective. * functional impairment is where activities of daily living are hampered by the presence of lipoma, such as dressing, personal hygiene or functional mobility http://www.britishsarcomagroup.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/BSG-guidance-for-ultrasound-screening-of-soft-tissue-masses-in-the-trunk-and-extremity-FINAL-Jan-2019.pdf |
ARP 64 Review Date: 2026 |