Uterine lipoleiomyoma misdiagnosed as uterine fibroid in a pregnant woman: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Uterine lipoleiomyoma is a rare variant of leiomyomas, especially in pregnant women. Currently, there is only one case reported in literature, suggesting that without proper knowledge about this disease, there is a high risk that uterine lipoleiomyoma could be misdiagnosed as other gynecological diseases, particularly during pregnancy. Here, we report the case of a 38-year-old female admitted to our department due to intermittent lower abdominal pain and a small amount of vaginal bleeding after menopause. Based on her clinical manifestations, laboratory tests and imaging examinations, she was preoperatively diagnosed as pregnant with uterine fibroid fatty degeneration. Following an induced abortion, she underwent a laparoscopic myomectomy and was diagnosed with uterine lipoleiomyoma on postoperative immunohistochemistry. During a 6-month follow-up, no abnormalities were detected. The obstetric outcomes, diagnosis and treatments of pregnancy with uterine lipoleiomyoma may resemble those of pregnancy with uterine fibroid. Although comprehensive imaging examinations are helpful for preoperative diagnosis, the final diagnosis still relies on postoperative pathological examination.