Excision of lipoma / sebaceous cyst
- Usual anaesthesia
- Local infiltration (lignocaine with or without adrenaline); general or regional for large, deep or diffuse lesions
- Position
- Depends on site: supine, prone or lateral, with the swelling uppermost
- Setting
- elective
Operative note template for excision of a subcutaneous lipoma or sebaceous (epidermoid) cyst, with a filled example for a lipoma of the back excised under local anaesthesia.
Blank template
Follow this order in the case sheet. Tick the options that apply and fill the blanks.
Patient and case
- Name / Age / Sex
- UHID / IP no. / Ward-Bed
- Date of surgery / OT no.
- CaseElectiveEmergency (non-elective)if emergency, state urgency and reason
- Timesin OT ___ anaesthesia start ___ incision ___ closure ___ out of OT ___
Team
- Operating surgeonname, designation
- Assistant(s)
- Supervising consultantpresent in OT / available / not applicable
- Steps done by the residentwhole procedure / named steps, under whose supervision
- Anaesthetist
- Scrub nurse / circulating nurse
Diagnosis and procedure
- Pre-operative diagnosis
- Post-operative diagnosis
- Procedure planned
- Procedure performedif different from plan, state why
- Extra procedure done and reason'none' if none. Only to save life or health if not consented
Consent and safety checks
- Informed consentGeneralProcedure-specificHigh-riskAnaesthesiain a language the patient understands: language ___ witness ___
- Site / side markedYesNot applicable
- WHO Surgical Safety ChecklistSign inTime outSign out
- Antibiotic prophylaxisdrug, dose, route, time given before incision
- VTE prophylaxisMechanicalPharmacologicalNot indicated
Risks to explain in the consent for this operation
- bleeding or haematoma
- wound infection
- seroma or collection, sometimes needing a drain
- recurrence if cyst wall or lipoma is left behind
- visible or stretched scar
- numbness around the scar
- histology may show a different diagnosis, needing further surgery
Pre-operative details for this operation
- Clinical diagnosisLipomaSebaceous (epidermoid) cystOther subcutaneous swelling
- Site, size and durationexact site and side, size in cm, recent growth or pain
- Features against a simple lesionrapid growth, pain, fixity to deep structures, size, near bone fusion lines: imaging before surgery
- ImagingNot neededUSG doneMRI / CT done
- Infection status (cyst)Not infectedInfected: I&D only, excision later
- Incision markedalong or parallel to skin tension lines; for a cyst, ellipse around the punctum
- Patient weight (for local anaesthetic dose)
Anaesthesia and position
- AnaesthesiaLocal: lignocaine 1% plainLocal: lignocaine 1% with adrenaline 1:200,000GeneralSpinal / regionaldrug, strength and total volume; check against maximum dose
- IV lineSecured before infiltrationNot secured (reason)
- PositionSupineProneLateral
Operative findings
- Size of swellingin cm, after excision
- PlaneSubcutaneousSubfascialIntramuscularSubgaleal (scalp)
- CapsuleWell encapsulatedThin pseudocapsuleNot encapsulated / infiltrating
- Cyst contents (cyst)cheesy keratin, pus, blood; wall intact or ruptured
- Relation to nerves, vessels, muscleany structure preserved or divided
- Gross appearancenormal yellow fat lobules / anything suspicious
Procedure (steps)
- Skin preparation and drapingantiseptic used
- Local anaesthetic infiltrationalong incision line, then deep and around the swelling; volume used
- IncisionLinear (lipoma)Elliptical including punctum (cyst)Small stab incision with squeeze-out (small lipoma)length in cm, direction
- Skin flaps raisedskin hooks or artery forceps for traction
- DissectionSharp (No. 15 blade / scissors)Blunt on the capsuleBipolar cautery
- Lesion removedIntactCyst ruptured: wall removed completely and wound washedPiecemeal (reason)
- Deep extensionNoneMuscle split to remove extension
- HaemostasisBipolar cauteryMonopolar cauteryLigatures
- Cavity checked for residual lipoma or cyst wallYes, none left
Closure, drains and dressing
- Dead spaceClosed with absorbable suturesNot neededmaterial and size
- DrainNoneSuction drain (large cavity)
- SkinInterrupted polypropylene (Prolene) or nylon (Ethilon)SubcuticularVertical mattressLeft open (inflamed cyst)material and size
- DressingSimple dressingPressure dressing
Specimens and implants
- Specimen sent for HPEYesNo (reason)label with site; size and weight if large
End of procedure
- Estimated blood lossml
- IV fluids and blood / products givenfluids (ml); blood: type, units, bag nos.
- Swab, needle and instrument countCorrectIncorrect: action taken
- Intra-operative complications / difficultieswhat happened and what was done; 'none' if none
- Implant stickersNo implantAffixed in case sheet, OT register and for discharge summary
- Condition at end of surgery / shifted toPACUWardICU/HDU
Post-operative orders
- Wound checklook for bleeding and swelling (haematoma) before discharge
- Analgesiadrug, dose, frequency
- Drainif placed: output chart, planned removal (about 48 hours for a large lipoma)
- Dischargesame day for local anaesthetic cases
- Dressingkeep dry; first change on
- Suture removalface about day 5; most of the body after at least 1 week; back and legs 10 to 14 days
- Follow-upHPE report date; further plan if unexpected diagnosis
Signature
- Name and designation of person writing note
- Medical Council registration no.
- Signature / date / time of writingwrite before the patient leaves recovery
Worked example
Fictional case: Mr. V.M., 45 years, 70 kg, soft painless swelling over the right scapular region for 3 years, slowly growing, 6 x 5 cm, lobulated, mobile, not fixed to muscle.
Case details
Date: 22/08/2026. Elective, minor OT list.
In OT 11:30. Infiltration 11:40. Incision 11:45. Closure completed 12:15.
Surgeon: Dr A. (1st-year resident, General Surgery). Assistant: Dr B. (intern). Senior resident: Dr C., present in OT.
No anaesthetist (local anaesthesia). Scrub nurse: Sr E.
Indication and pre-op
Indication: lipoma over the right scapular region, 6 x 5 cm, cosmetic concern and increase in size over 3 years. No pain, no rapid growth.
USG: well-defined subcutaneous lipoma, no intramuscular extension.
Consent: general and procedure-specific consent taken in Marathi. Scar, haematoma, recurrence and HPE explained.
Incision marked along the skin lines over the swelling. IV line secured.
WHO checklist sign in and time out done. No antibiotic prophylaxis (clean procedure, no implant).
Anaesthesia and position
Patient prone. Parts painted with povidone-iodine and draped.
Local anaesthesia: lignocaine 1% with adrenaline 1:200,000, 18 ml (180 mg) infiltrated along the incision line and around the swelling. Maximum allowed for 70 kg is 490 mg.
Findings
Subcutaneous lipoma 6.5 x 5 x 2.5 cm with a thin capsule. Yellow fat lobules larger than the surrounding fat. Not attached to muscle. No nerve or vessel involved. Nothing suspicious.
Procedure
Linear 4 cm skin incision over the swelling, along the skin lines.
Skin flaps raised on both sides with skin hooks till the capsule was seen.
Lipoma freed by sharp dissection with scissors and blunt dissection on the capsule, and delivered intact with finger pressure.
Cavity checked, no residual lipoma. Haemostasis with bipolar cautery.
Closure
Dead space closed with interrupted absorbable polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) sutures. No drain.
Skin closed with interrupted polypropylene (Prolene) 3-0.
Pressure dressing applied.
Specimens
Lipoma in formalin sent for HPE, labelled 'lipoma, right scapular region', with name, age and OP number.
End of procedure
Estimated blood loss 10 ml.
Swab, needle and instrument count correct, confirmed by scrub nurse.
No intra-operative complications. No signs of local anaesthetic toxicity.
Shifted to day-care ward. Pulse 78/min, BP 126/82 mmHg.
Post-op orders
Check dressing for soakage or swelling before discharge.
Tab paracetamol 1 g orally 6-hourly for 3 days.
Normal diet. Discharge after 1 hour of observation.
Keep dressing dry. Dressing change on day 3.
Suture removal on day 10 to 12 (back). Review in OPD with HPE report.
Signature
Dr A., JR-1, General Surgery. Reg. no. ________. 22/08/2026, 12:25.
Must document for this operation
- Exact site, side and size of the lesion. Needed to match the HPE report and to judge recurrence at the same site.
- Local anaesthetic drug, strength and total dose in mg, with patient weight. Shows the dose was within the safe limit if the patient later has a reaction.
- Whether the lesion came out intact, and for a cyst whether the whole wall was removed. Incomplete removal of the cyst wall is the usual cause of recurrence.
- Plane of the lesion and any deep extension. A subfascial or intramuscular lesion raises the chance of a sarcoma and changes follow-up.
- Specimen sent for histopathology (HPE). A lesion thought to be a lipoma can turn out to be a sarcoma, and the report must be followed up.
Common mistakes in these notes
- Writing 'swelling excised' with no site, size or plane.
- Not recording the total dose of local anaesthetic in mg.
- Not stating whether the cyst wall was removed completely.
- Discarding the specimen instead of sending it for HPE.
- Not writing the day for suture removal, which differs by site.
Indian practice and paperwork
- Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules 2016 put excised human tissue in Yellow category (a) human anatomical waste, and discarded formalin is chemical waste. Write where the specimen went: sent for HPE in formalin, given to relatives with a note, or discarded as Yellow (a) waste. (DGHS/CPCB Guidelines for Management of Healthcare Waste as per BMW Rules 2016)
Sources
- Moran B, Mittal R, Lord A, eds. Farquharson's Textbook of Operative General Surgery. 11th ed. CRC Press; 2026, Ch 4A, Surgery of the skin and subcutaneous tissue: incision, closure, local anaesthesia, excision of sebaceous cyst and lipoma, pp. 42-45.
- Bhat SM. SRB's Surgical Operations: Text and Atlas. Jaypee; 2014, Ch 7, Basic surgical procedures: Excision of the swelling, pp. 146-148.
- NHS. How and when to take paracetamol for adults (1 g per dose, at least 4 hours apart, not more than 4 g in 24 hours). www.nhs.uk/medicines/paracetamol-for-adults/how-and-when-to-take-paracetamol-for-adults/
- Bratzler DW et al. ASHP/IDSA/SIS/SHEA Clinical practice guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery. Am J Health-Syst Pharm 2013;70:195-283. Prophylaxis is not indicated for some clean procedures (p. 8 of PDF). www.ashp.org/-/media/assets/policy-guidelines/docs/therapeutic-guidelines/therapeutic-guidelines-antimicrobial-prophylaxis-surgery.pdf
Educational template for residents. Adapt it to your institution's case-sheet format and your consultant's instructions. Patient details in the example are fictional.
Videos of this operation
Teaching videos and pages for this operation, listed under the curriculum item that asks for it.