title: Internal and external carotid artery embolism following facial injection of autologous fat.
abstract: Autologous fat injection is a common aesthetic procedure for soft-tissue augmentation of the face. Although this procedure is generally regarded as safe, several patients have experienced acute visual loss or cerebral infarction after these injections. We describe a case of internal and external carotid artery fat embolism that occurred following injection of autologous fat into the face. It appeared that the injected fat entered a branch of the left external carotid artery and that the embolus likely migrated into the left internal carotid artery and distally into the left ophthalmic artery, left anterior artery, and middle cerebral artery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 5:
authors.affiliation: Dr Wang is an intensivist in the ICU at Weihai Municipal Hospital in Weihai, ChinaDr Yin is an ultrasonologist in the Department of Ultrasound at Weihai Municipal Hospital in Weihai, ChinaDr Yao is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Burns Institute at First Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Da-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Dr Wang is an intensivist in the ICU at Weihai Municipal Hospital in Weihai, ChinaDr Yin is an ultrasonologist in the Department of Ultrasound at Weihai Municipal Hospital in Weihai, ChinaDr Yao is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Burns Institute at First Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Dr Wang is an intensivist in the ICU at Weihai Municipal Hospital in Weihai, ChinaDr Yin is an ultrasonologist in the Department of Ultrasound at Weihai Municipal Hospital in Weihai, ChinaDr Yao is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Burns Institute at First Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing, China c_ff@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yong-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D001037:Aphasia / Q000209:etiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004620:Embolism, Fat / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: autologous fat injection; cosmetic medicine; external carotid artery; facial injection; fat embolism; internal carotid artery