Colon lipomas are rare. They are almost always asymptomatic; only when their diameter is more than 3 cm do they become symptomatic. They tend to occur in an older population and most of the cases are located at the right side of the large bowel. Usually the diagnosis is not made until operation is performed.
We describe a 67-year-old woman with a large colonic submucosal lipoma causing left-sided abdominal pain and altered bowel habit. Abdominal sonography, CT scan and colonoscopy showed a mass 5 cm x 4.5cm x 4 cm located 90cm from the anal verge. Left hemicolectomy was performed, and histologic examination revealed the mass to be a benign colonic lipoma. We also reviewed the literature on the subject to examine the main characteristics of lipoma of the colon.
