Madelung disease is characterized by the formation of diffuse uncapsulated lipomata in different body areas and is responsible for severe cosmetic deformities. Although it is described as a rare entity in the literature, at our department it is seen quite often. The authors make a revision of the literature on this disease and then report on the cases of Madelung disease operated between January 2003 and October 2008 at the Plastic surgery department of Coimbra University Hospital.