Acute fatal stroke immediately following autologous fat injection into the face.

Abstract

In cosmetic surgery, autologous fat injection into the face is generally considered safe.1 However, cases of sudden visual loss or cerebral infarction after fat injection into the glabella have been reported.2,3⇓ We report a patient with acute fatal cerebral infarction after autologous fat injection into the face. Under local anesthesia, a 39-year-old woman underwent autologous fat injection into the glabella to correct frown lines. Her head was positioned supine during the procedure. Fat (5 mL) was injected into the glabella for over 4 minutes. There was no excessive bleeding or tension on the carotid arteries. One minute after fat injection, the patient developed mental change, aphasia, and right hemiplegia. Medical history showed no hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, hypercoagulable state, arterial or venous occlusive disease, hematologic disease, previous surgery, or recent trauma. Physical examination immediately after symptom onset showed the blood pressure was 120/80 mm Hg, …