Migration of implants: a problem with injectable polyacrylamide gel in aesthetic plastic surgery.
Polyacrylamide gel (PAAG) has been used as a soft tissue filler material for cosmetic purposes in Europe and China since 1997. The various complications of PAAG have been reported. A total of 15 patients who received PAAG injections at other institutions were treated for gel migration in the authors' hospitals. During treatment, the authors found that the injected PAAG had not formed capsules within the muscle and was encapsulated only by thin fibrous tissue in skin and mammary glands. Consequently, the filler material migrated easily because of muscular activity or the influence of gravity, especially when the capsule was broken by incorrect massage or incidental force. It is suggested that PAAG should not be injected into muscular tissue or subcutaneous areas with active movement, such as joints and muscles involved in facial expression with thin skin. After years of gel implantation, the thinned capsule may result in an increasing incidence of this complication. Management and some clinical findings in relation to the complication also are discussed.
Department of Plastic Surgery, Guangzhou First Municipal People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College, PR of China. chengningxin@163.net
Ning-xin
NX
Cheng
Shi-liang
SL
Xu
Hui
H
Deng
Xiao-bang
XB
Ding
Xiao-man
XM
Zhang
Dai-hong
DH
Wu
Hong
H
Zhong
Zi-hong
ZH
Sun
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013518:Surgery, Plastic
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C016680:polyacrylamide gels