Pelvic lipomatosis: 35-year experience.

From 1950 through 1985, 18 patients 26 to 65 years old (mean age 44.5 years) presented with pelvic lipomatosis. Followup ranged from 6 months to 17 years, with a mean of 7.5 years. Of these 18 patients 16 (89 per cent) are alive, 1 (6 per cent) died of uremia and 1 (6 per cent) was lost to followup after 6 months. During this period 7 patients (39 per cent) required operative procedures for urinary obstruction. Although pelvic lipomatosis is a benign proliferation of fat in the true pelvis that is known to lead to urinary tract, fecal and even vena caval obstruction, it also may remain dormant and cause no significant symptoms for many years.