Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL) is an extremely uncommon disorder. In the medical literatures about 200 cases have been reported. MSL is not associated with other generalized lipomatous disorders, nor are these patient to be necessarily obese. The cause of MSL is unknown. The disorder usually occurs in middle-aged males and there is frequently a history of alcoholism. Some instances of familial occurrence have been reported, but the majority of cases are sporadic. Two cases of MSL are presented.
Humans ; Lipomatosis ; Lipomatosis, Multiple Symmetrical/*diagnosis/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (MSL), or Madelung's disease, is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by the presence of loose adipose tissue deposits localized in the cervical region and upper body. MSL presenting as bilateral huge gynecomastia is an extremely rare phenomenon. The present report describes a case of MSL in a 66-year-old man. The patients presented with bilateral breast bulging. He had a history of cigarette and alcohol use. His condition was treated with a bilateral nipple-sparing mastectomy. MSL can present as a form of gynecomastia, for its accurate diagnosis and proper treatment of MSL, increasing awareness of the clinical characteristics of the disease is required, especially amongst breast surgeons. Herein, we review the literature and discuss the clinical characteristics, pathology, and surgical treatment of MSL.
Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Breast ; Diagnosis ; Gynecomastia* ; Humans ; Lipomatosis ; Lipomatosis, Multiple Symmetrical* ; Male ; Mastectomy ; Pathology ; Rare Diseases ; Tobacco Products

OBJECTIVE: To introduce recent progress on diagnosis and treatment of benign symmetric lipomatosis (BSL). METHOD: Detailed clinical data of 6 patients with BSL were reviewed and analyzed. We present a summary of the clinical symptoms, physical sign, diagnosis and therapeutic methods of BSL. And related literatures were discussed together. RESULT: All of 6 patients have excessive subcutaneous fat deposit predominantly around neck. One patients had upper extremity localizations. Six patients had the complication of left ventricular diastolic function changes, glucose intolerance or diabetes mellitus, chronic hepatopathy, hyperuricemia and sleep apnea syndrome in one or more. One patients with several symptoms occur simultaneously, another one female patient was accompanied by all symptoms but chronic hepatopathy. Five male patient were alcohol abusers. Total neck lipectomy and abstinence from alcohol were performed on 5 patients. One patient refused treatment. During a follow-up of 3 months to 4 years, one patients was relapsed again, and no recurrence was seen in another 4 patients. All patho logical results were nonencapsulated fat. CONCLUSION BSL is a lipodystrophy caused by diffuse fatty tissue, symmetry deposition in the neck and shoulder subcutaneous fascia space or deep fascial space. The highest incidence favors to middle-aged man who is alcoholic. Chronic alcohol addiction and typical clinical symptoms help to diagnosis BSL. Lipectomy represents a successful procedure in treating BSL.
Adult ; Alcoholism ; complications ; Fascia ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lipectomy ; Lipomatosis, Multiple Symmetrical ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; pathology ; Shoulder ; pathology