Fat embolism after liposuction in Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome

Fat embolism syndrome following cosmetic breast reduction liposuction

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication that is primarily associated with long bone fractures, although cases have been reported following soft tissue trauma and cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction. The diagnosis of FES relies on clinical features with no specific laboratory or imaging findings. We present a case of FES in an otherwise healthy man presenting to the emergency room for evaluation of tachycardia, hypoxia and drowsiness on postoperative day 1 following breast reduction liposuction. Based on the clinical picture and symptomatology with diagnostic workup excluding alternative diagnoses, the patient was diagnosed clinically with FES and treated supportively with supplemental oxygen. The patient quickly made a full recovery and was discharged from the hospital the following day without any residual symptoms at his follow-up appointments.

Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest During Liposuction: A Case Report

Background

With the popularity of liposuction surgery, more awareness should be obtained regarding complications. Liposuction has been thought of as a safe procedure with a very low incidence of major complications. However, life-threatening risks of liposuction have rarely been reported.

Methods

We present a case of a 36-year-old woman who developed cardiac arrest during a liposuction procedure, and we present a literature review.

Results

She was previously healthy and had no risk factors for pulmonary embolism. The diagnosis was made based on clinical presentation and the presence of an electrolyte disorder and a positive sign on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA). Mild hypothermia treatment, symptomatic treatment, and supportive therapy were applied. As the respiratory and circulation were smooth, she was discharged to a rehabilitation hospital. Seven months after discharge, the patient was still in a coma with eye opening.

Conclusions

Spinal anesthesia, pulmonary embolism, and hyperkalemia are the most probable contributors to the cardiac arrest observed during the liposuction procedure in this specific case. There is a heightened imperative to vigilantly monitor for critical incidents during these operations and to meticulously identify associated risk factors during liposuction.

Pulmonary Fat Embolism Following Liposuction and Fat Grafting: A Review of Published Cases

BACKGROUND

One of the most severe complications of liposuction and fat grafting is pulmonary fat embolism (PFE). However, most healthcare workers are not familiar with PFE. We performed a systematic review to describe the details of PFE.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched up to October 2022. Further analysis focused on clinical, diagnostic, and outcome parameters.

RESULTS

A total of 40 patients from 19 countries were included. Chest computed tomography (CT) yielded 100% accuracy in the diagnosis of PFE. More than 90% of the deceased died within 5 days after surgery, and in 69% of patients, onset of symptoms occurred within 24 h after surgery. The proportions of patients who required mechanical ventilation, had a cardiac arrest event, or died among all patients and among those whose onset of symptoms occurred within 24 h after surgery were 76%, 38%, and 34% versus 86%, 56%, and 54%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The earlier the onset of symptoms was, the more severe the clinical course was. Once a patient presents with PFE-related symptoms, surgery should be halted, supportive care initiated, and chest CT used to diagnose PFE. According to our review results, if a patient with PFE survives the initial episode without permanent sequelae, a complete recovery can be anticipated.

Histopathological evaluation of autopsy cases with isolated pulmonary fat embolism (IPFE): is cardiopulmonary resuscitation a main cause of death in IPFE?

Background: Fat embolism (FE) may develop following many traumatic and atraumatic clinical conditions; however, fewer data exist regarding the occurrence of isolated pulmonary FE (IPFE). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure for maintaining blood circulation and oxygenation during cardiac arrest. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of CPR with IPFE in autopsy cases.

Methods: A total 402 cases among 4,118 autopsies were diagnosed with IPFE, and the medical background of these cases was retrospectively evaluated. Diagnosis of FE and FE grading were performed with histopathological examinations of postmortem tissue samples, and injury-severity scores of traumatic cases were assessed. Data of traumatic and atraumatic cases were statistically compared.

Results: Of the IPFE cases, 298 (741%) were male and 104 (25.9%) female, with overall mean age 53.7 (2–99) years. Causes of death of studied subjects were traumatic for 302 (75.1%) and atraumatic reasons for 100 (24.9%) cases. CPR was performed for 277 cases of which 177 (63.9%) were traumatic and 100 (36.1%) were non-traumatic. In comparison to traumatic cases, significantly higher CPR frequency was determined in atraumatic IPFE (P=0.001). High grade FE in the traumatic cases, and mild-moderate grade of FE in the nontraumatic cases were found statistically significant (P=0.001).

Conclusion: This study indicates that CPR may be one of the leading factors in the development of IPFE in atraumatic conditions, and this procedure was related to mild–moderate IPFE manifestations. Regardless of whether conditions were traumatic or atraumatic, in patients who survive following CPR for manifest ventilation/perfusion problems, it should be remembered that IPFE may have developed due to CPR.

Microscopic and Macroscopic Fat Embolism: Solving the Puzzle with Case Reports

BACKGROUND

The frequency of fat embolism mortality after liposuction has increased. As the only dependable evidence for this problem is that available in the medical literature, a study of clinical case reports is warranted.

METHODS

The authors reviewed the medical literature by searching for case reports of fat embolism after liposuction in humans who manifested either of the variants of the condition: microscopic fat embolism or macroscopic fat embolism. The authors performed a literature search of the PubMed and PubMed Central databases from the first case of fat embolism syndrome associated with liposuction reported until March of 2017; keywords Fat Embolism (Fat Embolism Syndrome), Liposuction, and Case (((fat embolism) AND liposuction) AND case) were used. A detailed analysis of the data contained in the clinical case reports was conducted.

RESULTS

In total, 39 and 98 articles were found in PubMed and PubMed Central, respectively, using the keywords (((Fat + Embolism) + AND + Liposuction) + AND + Case). After analysis, only 15 reports corresponded to cases of macroscopic or microscopic fat embolism after liposuction, and the basic statistics of the two proposed variants were examined.

CONCLUSIONS

This work provides relevant information regarding very important characteristics of microscopic and macroscopic fat embolism. Despite the diagnostic difficulty, clinical diagnosis remains the gold standard for identifying microscopic and macroscopic fat embolism. The establishment of a rapid and timely diagnosis is of great help for appropriate treatment.

Liposuction-Induced Fat Embolism Syndrome: A Brief Review and Postmortem Diagnostic Approach

Lipoplasty, or liposuction, the surgical process of removing excess fat, is an elective procedure with rising frequency in the United States. Fat embolism syndrome is a clinical diagnosis and is defined as fat in the circulation with an identifiable clinical pattern of signs and symptoms (eg, hypoxemia, respiratory insufficiency, neurologic impairment, and petechial rash) that occur in the appropriate clinical context. Fat embolism syndrome following liposuction is a life-threatening complication, although its incidence is low. Currently, there is no specific therapy for fat embolism syndrome, so prevention, early detection, and supportive therapy are critical. Many cases of fat embolism syndrome are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed; however, postmortem examination can provide the means for appropriate diagnosis. Therefore, a pathologist must keep a keen eye, as microscopic fat emboli are difficult to appreciate with routine tissue processing and staining.