Infections in patients with adverse reactions to the use of unknown modeling substances for soft tissue enhancement in Cali, Colombia

Morbidity induced by the infiltration of foreign substances into the buttocks: A systematic review

The infiltration of substances into the buttocks for esthetic purposes can cause local or systemic damage. These infiltrated substances, known as adjuvants, foreign substances, and polymers, often lack sufficient and frequently controversial evidence. To identify the systemic complications associated with substances locally infiltrated in the buttocks for treatment, we conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA criteria. Of 275 publications, 29 met the eligibility criteria: 3 systematic reviews, 6 case series, and 20 case reports. The study comprises 463 cases, mainly women (87%), with an average age of 39.94 years. The average time between infiltrations was 7.65 years. Infiltrated substances included silicone, oils, methyl methacrylate, guaiacol, sodium gadolinium, collagen, paraffin, and other unknown substances. The complications fell into three categories: local, systemic with inflammatory-immune response, and renal damage due to hypercalcemia induced by the granulomatosis caused by the substance. Treatment lacked uniformity, mainly focusing on the main effect. Surgical resection of affected tissue resulted in local and systemic improvement (renal, hypercalcemia, or inflammatory-immune) for most patients. Patients who received comprehensive treatment based on inflammatory-immune control, control of renal involvement, and resection of the tissue area that contained large amounts of the infiltrated substance had a better prognosis than those with diffuse infiltration and delayed treatment.