Contents
A benign fatty tumor (lipoma), commonly referred to as a wen, can form in almost any part of the human body, but its favorite places are areas with relatively thin subcutaneous fatty tissue, which, of course, includes the neck. Wen is a connective tissue capsule containing fat cells.
Lipoma has the appearance of a rounded tumor that rises above the surface of the skin and sometimes reaches the size of an orange or a tennis ball. The formation is painless until it begins to compress the nerve endings, or its surface is not subjected to friction with clothing and other irritation. The risk of malignancy of the wen is minimal, but such a danger cannot be completely excluded.
Classification of wen on the neck
Lipid formations that occur on the neck are divided into several categories:
Soft wen – is a capsule of connective tissue, filled exclusively with fat;
Diffuse, or diffuse variety – a wen without a shell;
Fibrous wen is a dense formation, the connective tissue capsule of which has grown and hardened;
Petrified wen – a formation saturated with calcium salts;
Angiolipoma – a wen, which has blood vessels in its structure;
Perineural wen – a formation that affects the nerve fibers;
Myolipoma – a wen, which has in its composition muscle tissue;
Adenolipoma – a wen that captured the sweat glands;
Derkum’s disease, or lipomatosis, is a disease that forms multiple fatty formations, including on the neck and head;
Madelung’s syndrome, or annular lipoma of the neck – a disease that forms a clamp of adipose tissue around the neck, making it difficult to speak and breathe;
Bish’s hump, or widow’s hump, is a massive wen in the projection of the seventh cervical vertebra, which impedes the flow of blood through the vertebral artery.
Wen can be located in any part of the neck – under the lower jaw, behind, on the side, on the front surface.
Reasons for the appearance of wen
One of the main reasons for the appearance of wen on the neck is pathological heredity, leading to a deficiency of the enzyme responsible for extracting energy and water from lipids. It is this genetically determined mutation of the 12th chromosome that underlies the formation of lipomas from unsplit fat.
Other reasons for the formation of wen on the neck:
Monotonous muscle load of the neck muscles;
Inactivity, leading to a violation of blood microcirculation in the blood vessels;
Mechanical trauma to the skin of the neck due to rubbing with clothing;
Violation of the diet, the predominance of fats in the menu;
Liver and kidney failure, diseases of the digestive tract;
cervical osteochondrosis;
Age-related hormonal imbalance;
Alcoholism.
Symptoms of a wen on the neck
You can detect a wen with the naked eye. On visual examination, a tumor is visible, rising above the skin, the color of which does not differ from the surrounding areas. On palpation, the formation of a small size is easily shifted without causing discomfort. The growth of the wen does not stop over time, it is constantly increasing.
Negative symptoms as a reason for an urgent consultation with a surgeon:
Skin hyperemia is a sign of the onset of the inflammatory process;
Reduced mobility of the wen – the transition of the wen to deep structures or soldering it with the epidermis;
Soreness on palpation – grazing with a growing wen on nerve fibers;
Skin blanching – squeezing of blood vessels by a wen;
The rapid increase in the wen is a dangerous sign of malignancy of the formation or a symptom of a serious metabolic disorder.
Diagnostics
An accurate diagnosis can be made by visual examination and palpation of the wen.
It is characterized by such signs as:
Absence of soreness;
Softness and mobility;
Clear contours.
The degree of spread of education in the tissues of the neck and the condition of the capsule of the wen will help to assess ultrasound or computed tomography. To determine the composition of the wen, a biopsy is performed, sending the material for cyto- and histology. This tactic will help differentiate the cervical lipoma from tumors with similar external signs.
Treatment of a wen on the neck
A dense capsule of education, which does not communicate with surrounding tissues, prevents the penetration of drugs into it. Without opening the wen, it is impossible to transport active drugs inside it. The best method of treating a wen on the neck is surgery.
Surgery
Treatment of a wen on the neck is carried out by a doctor in a surgical hospital. Any independent attempts to extract the formation by squeezing it out, piercing or opening the capsule can lead to tissue infection, the development of an abscess, phlegmon or sepsis. Intensive blood supply to this part of the body, saturation with blood vessels and nerve tissues, proximity to the brain make self-treatment of a wen on the neck a deadly event.
Before surgery, the patient is sent to the laboratory for a blood test for clotting, taking an allergy test for antibiotics and anesthetics.
Wen removal methods:
Excision with a scalpel – for the treatment of a wen with this classical method, the surface of the skin over the formation is disinfected, an anesthetic is injected, an incision is made to extract the capsule through it. During surgery on an inflamed wen, a drain is installed in the wound to remove pus, inflammation is treated. A wound without pus is sutured immediately, the skin around it is treated with antiseptics. Possible complications are infection, rough scarring, suture granulation, allergic reactions to the suture material.
Liposuction is a gentle method of removing the contents of a wen through a thin probe inserted directly into the capsule. The disadvantage of the method is that relapses are possible, since the capsule is not removed.
Endoscopy is an effective and safe method of removing a wen, the procedure is performed through a tiny incision near the lesion, under the control of a miniature camera at the end of the endoscope.
Laser surgery is a modern method of excision of a wen using a narrow beam of a carbon laser. The risk of infection of the wound with infection and the risk of bleeding are minimal, since coagulation of the vessels is carried out right during the operation.
Radio wave surgery – with the help of a special high-tech instrument – a radio knife – the wen is removed along with the capsule, there are almost no scars, relapses are excluded.
Electrocoagulation and cryodestruction – cauterization of a small wen under the influence of electric current or liquid nitrogen vapor. A pigment spot may appear at the site of intervention.
After surgery to remove a wen on the neck, it is recommended to observe a sparing regimen for a month – do not lift weights, do not overexert yourself, do not be exposed to high temperatures. Such precautions will help to avoid postoperative bleeding.
Treatment with drugs
In addition to surgery, the patient is prescribed medicines to correct the state of health:
Stimulants of fat metabolism (Vitrum Cardio Omega-3, Atoris) – treatment of impaired metabolism that stimulates increased fat deposition;
Hepatoprotectors (Phosphogliv, Essentiale Forte) – protection and restoration of liver cells;
Relief of the inflammatory process with corticosteroids (Hydrocortisone, Dexamethasone);
Taking calcium preparations (Kalcimin) – treatment of osteochondrosis;
Normalization of hormonal balance – synthetic analogues of estrogen or testosterone;
Taking lipolytics (Aqualix, Aminomiks, Phosphatidylcholine) – the breakdown of fats.
Therapy with medicines can last from 2 to 5-6 months.
Physiotherapy and diet
To relieve the feeling of neck numbness, stimulate microcirculation, stop tumor growth, physiotherapeutic methods such as micropulse exposure and high-frequency ultrasound are used. Electrophoresis with corticosteroids increases their effectiveness in the treatment of inflammatory processes around the wen capsule or postoperative wound.
It is impossible to cure fat with a diet – it will not be possible to extract the fat accumulated there through the tissues of the capsule. However, dietary modification will help improve metabolism and stop excessive fat accumulation.
To do this, reduce the amount of carbohydrates and fats in the menu. It is advisable to include in it lean meats and fish, vegetables and fruits in any form, cereals with milk and water, sour-milk products.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of a wen on the surface of the neck, you can do the following:
Eat rationally;
Lead an active lifestyle;
Observe the rules of hygiene;
Strengthen immunity, temper with available measures;
Timely consult a doctor for preventive examinations and timely diagnosis of emerging health problems.
Wen on the neck are always removed in case of inflammation, rapid growth, compression of surrounding tissues, or a serious cosmetic defect.