Complications and Litigation Associated with Injectable Facial Fillers: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Soft-tissue injectable fillers are a popular treatment option for patients seeking minimally invasive facial rejuvenation. The use of soft-tissue fillers has increased significantly in the past 10 years; in 2017 alone, clinicians administered nearly 2.7 million soft tissue fillers, up from 1.3 million in 2007 (1,2). Although injectable fillers have a relatively high safety profile when compared to more invasive rejuvenation procedures, serious adverse events including intra-arterial injections, necrosis, and visual symptoms including blindness have been documented (3). Complications from injectable fillers are also a source of litigation, which has been shown to be associated with a perceived lack of informed consent (4). The aims of this paper are to document the reported complication rates associated with injectable facial fillers from a national database and to report on the available cases of malpractice litigation.