OSTEOLIPOMA IN BUCCAL MUCOSA: A RARE VARIANT OF LIPOMA

Osteolipoma is an extremely rare histologic variant of lipoma that contains mature lamellar bone. We report a case of a 27-year-old man with history of a small, rounded lesion in the right cheek that started in childhood, without symptomatology, but with continuous growing. On the examination, facial asymmetry was observed, without lymph node enlargement. A firm nodule of about 2.5 cm was seen involving his right buccal mucosa. A panoramic radiograph showed radiopaque irregular shapes in the region of the first upper and lower right molars. The lesion was excised, and pathologic examination of the specimen showed fragments of trabecular bone between adipocytes. Definitive pathologic diagnosis was osteolipoma. There was no recurrence at 7 months’ follow-up. Although osteolipoma is very rare, it is important to keep it in the differential diagnosis of nodules with a firm consistency in the oral mucosa and when noting a radiopaque image on panoramic exam.