Lipoma (Surgical Treatment)

(Benign Skin Lump)

Threshold

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) will fund surgery for patients if the following criteria are met:

• The lipoma is >5cm and is subject to repeated trauma due to size/position

AND/OR

• The lipoma is situated near the eye and vision is impeded as evidenced by visual field tests

AND/OR

• The lipoma is situated near specialised sites such as neck, shoulder, hands or feet and significantly impairs function, or due to growth, will imminently impair function

Note: Lipomas that are less than 5cms should be observed only using soft tissue sarcoma guidelines (SIGN 2003). If there is diagnostic doubt and removal is required to establish a histological diagnosis, the threshold criteria does not apply.

Exemption: Lipomas located on the body that are greater than 5cms in diameter or in a sub-fascial position, which have also seen rapid growth and/or are painful should be referred to a soft tissue sarcoma clinic as a 2 week wait diagnostic referral.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12/chapter/1-Recommendations-organised-by-site-of-cancer

This procedure is not routinely funded on cosmetic grounds alone.

Cases for Individual Funding Consideration

On a case to case basis, patients might be eligible for surgical intervention, in consideration of their exceptionality. The requesting clinician must provide information to support the case for being considered an exception, by submitting an individual funding request.

Note: This policy is assigned static and applies indefinitely, unless or until new evidence available is likely to have a material effect on the policy