A large thigh hibernoma in a 23-years-old man: Case report

Introduction and importance: Hibernomas are benign soft tissue tumors containing prominent brown adipocytes that resemble normal brown fat, they occur in a wide age range (from 2 to 75 years) and make up for about 1 % of all adipocytic tumors <2 % of benign fatty neoplasms. They have traditionally been regarded as benign tumors with no potential for malignancy; due to their similarity in clinical and radiographical presentation, they are often misdiagnosed as malignant tumors like liposarcomas. While these tumors are generally considered non-malignant, their distinctive characteristics and uncommon occurrence make them an intriguing subject for medical study. Case presentation: This article describes the clinical, radiographic, and histologic features of a young patient with a thigh hibernoma compressing the obturator nerve. Clinical discussion: Hibernomas are more likely to develop in brown fat-enriched areas in newborns, such as the neck, scapular area, armpit, chest, and retroperitoneum. Increased awareness among clinicians and pathologists, coupled with advances in imaging and immunohistochemistry, has enhanced our ability to accurately identify and treat these intriguing tumors. Conclusion: The rarity of hibernomas together with the close resemblance of their radiological features to those of malignant tumors like liposarcomas or atypical lipomatous tumors, make these lesions extremely difficult to identify and often misdiagnosed. Continued research is essential to further our understanding this neoplasm and refine diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.