Scope of Homoeopathy in Lipoma

Dr Mable Pranitha Andrade

Abstract: Lipoma is the painless lump which can appear on any part of the body. Prevalence is 2% per 100 people. It is the great matter of cosmetic problem if it appears on the face and hands. Usually the treatment is surgical excision. There are chances of recurrences after the surgical intervention. Thus with Homoeopathy we can treat this condition effectively and the chances of recurrences also be prevented.

Objectives : 

• To define Lipoma along with its various types
• To identify the Homoeopathic management of Lipoma with the help of Repertory.

Lipoma
Lipoma is the benign tumour arising from the adipocytes. It is characteristically soft in consistency, movable and generally painless. Except in brain they can occur anywhere in the body thus known as universal tumour. It is mobile and edges will be slipping between the palpating fingers. Skin is usually free. Pain is uncommon unless it is neural element or it compresses the nerve or the adjacent structures.

It is composed of mature adipocytes and uniform nuclei. Based on the presence of capsule it can be Localised or Diffuse. Diffuse Lipomas are common in palm, sole, head and neck. Based on the site of appearance it can be Superficial or Deep. Superficial are common in subcutaneous plane and can appear in back, neck, proximal extremities and abdomen. Deep Lipomas are commonly intramuscular but it can be intermuscular or both intra and intermuscular. They are tend to attain large size.

Single Lipomas are the common ones to be seen in the subcutaneous plane. Multiple Lipomas are 15% commonly seen in males in sites like back, shoulder, upper arm and can be associated with many syndromes¹.

Types

Based on the component

• Hibernoma- benign tumour arising from brown fat
• Fibrolipoma- lipoma with fibrous component
• Naevolipoma- lipoma with telangiectasis
• Neurolipoma- lipoma with nerve tissue
• Angiolipoma- lipoma with vascular tissue
• Myolipoma- lipoma with smooth muscle
• Chondroid lipoma- lipoma with chondroid (tissue resembling cartilage)
• Spindle cell lipoma- lipoma with spindle cell
• Pleomorphic lipoma- variant of spindle cell lipoma
• Lipoblastoma- lipoma of immature fat occurring in infant boys particularly in the subcutaneous tissue of extremity 
• Lipoma arborescens- lipoma occurring in a joint or tendon sheath or with diffuse villonodular proliferation in the synovium

Based on the site

• Subcutaneous- lipoma under the skin
• Subfacial- lipoma situated below the facia
• Intramuscular- lipoma within the muscle
• Intermuscular- lipoma between the muscle
• Parosteal- lipoma immediately adjacent to the periosteum of a bone 
• Subserosal- lipoma under the serous membrane 
• Submucosal- lipoma below the mucosal layer 
• Extradural- lipoma situated outside the dura matter
• Intraarticular- lipoma within the joint
• Subsynovial- lipoma below the synovium
• Subperiosteal-  lipoma occurring beneath the periosteum
• Interoseous- lipoma situated between the bones
• Intraglandular- lipoma within the gland

Remedies under different repertories

1.Pocket manual of Homoeopathic Materia medica and Repertory by William    Boericke⁴

GENERALITIES-TUMORS-Lipoma: Bar-c, Calc, Calc-ar, Lapis-alb, Phyt, Thuj, Uric-ac

2.Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia medica by J.T. Kent⁵

NOSE-LIPOMA: Sulph

3.Homoepathic medical Repertory by Robin Murphy⁶

Diseases–TUMOURS, general-lipoma, fatty: agar, am-m, BAR-C, BELL, cal, calc-ar, croc, graph, kali-br, lap-a, phos, phyt, thuj, ur-ac.

                                          liquors, from abuse of : calc

                                          neck, on: BAR-C, phos

                                          scalp on: croc

                                          scrofulous: calc

   Neck–TUMORS-lipomas, fatty, on: BAR-C, calc, thuj

  4.Synthesis treasure edition by Fredrick Schroyens⁷

  Nose–LIPOMA: Sulph

  Extremities–LIPOMA: petr

• Thighs: bar-c, petr

 Generals–TUMORS–lipoma: agar, Am-m, aur, Bar-c, Bell, Calc, calc-ar,        croc, graph, Kai-br, Lap-a, med, merc, phos, Phyt, sil, Spong, Sulph, Thuj, ur-ac

5.Complete Repertory by Roger Van Zandvoort⁸

GENERALITIES-TUMORS, benign-lipoma: agar, Am-m, aur, bacls-10, BAR-C, BELL, Calc, calc-ar, carc, croc, cypr, graph, Kali-br, Lap-a, med, phos, Phyt, Thuj, ur-ac. 

References 

1. Bhat Sriram. SRB’s manual of Surgery. 5^th ed. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd; 2017.71-72. 
2. Dhawale M.L. Principles and Practice of Homoeopathy part-1. 3^rd ed. New Delhi: Indian Books and  Periodicals Publishers; 2010. 3-4, 309, 312.
3. Ahmed Munir. Fundamentals of Repertories. Bengaluru: Hi-Line Publishers and Distributors Pvt Ltd; 2016. 17.
4. Boericke William.  Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica with Indian medicine and Repertory. 9^th ed. New Delhi: Indian Books and Periodicals Publishers; 2010. 967.
5. Kent.J.T. Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica.6^th ed. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd; 2013. 340.
6. Murphy Robin. Homoeopathic Medical Repertory. 2^nd ed. New Delhi: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd; 2008. 446,1470. 
7. Schroyens Frederik.The Essential Synthesis 9.2E .London: Homoeopathic Book publishers; 2007. 526,1427,1955.
8. Roger van Zandvoort/ Complete Repertory-english (Version 4.5)

Dr Mable Pranitha Andrade,
PG SCHOLAR,
Department of Case taking & Repertory,
Government Homoeopathic Medical College,Bengaluru.