Lipoma of the Tendon Sheath in the Fourth Extensor Compartment of the Hand
Lipoma of an extensor tendon compartment is an exceedingly rare tumor of the hand. Although benign, it can often cause localized pain and finger stiffness, necessitating surgical excision. We report a case of a lipoma of the tendon sheath in the fourth dorsal compartment of the hand that was successfully treated with surgical excision.
Surgeons should also be aware that, with long-standing lipomas of the tendon sheath, weakening of a tendon secondary to irritation from the mass is a possibility, especially in the lower extremities. All tendons should be inspected carefully at the time of surgery to ensure that other procedures, such as tendon grafting or side-to-side tenodesis, are not required. Although lipomas of the tendon sheath and extensor compartments are quite rare, all surgeons evaluating masses for possible surgical excision should be aware of their existence and know how to manage them appropriately.
