Sepsis after autologous fat grafting

Autologous fat grafting is an increasingly popular technique, with numerous examples of excellent results. Adherence to key principles, including sterile technique and low-volume injection throughout layers of tissue, appears to be critical to obtaining good results. Reports of adverse outcomes are infrequent, but several case reports document both infectious and aesthetic complications. This case report represents an extreme complication, including abscess formation, life-threatening sepsis, and residual deformity. It serves as yet another reminder that early adoption of surgical procedures by those without a sound understanding of the underlying principles and techniques can have disastrous consequences. Furthermore, physicians operating on any patient must understand the potential for complications and be able to manage these appropriately when they occur.