Complications following injection of soft-tissue fillers

Soft-tissue filler injection is a very common procedure in the United States. Although the safety profile is favorable, adverse events (AE) can occur, ranging from mild to severe in intensity.

The authors performed a literature search to identify the facial sites most prone to severe complications. They review the course of these complications and discuss preventive measures.

The National Library of Medicine, the Cochrane Library, and Ovid MEDLINE were searched, and relevant articles (published through August 2012) were retrieved based on prespecified inclusion criteria. The complications reviewed were limited to "severe" events, such as soft-tissue necrosis, filler embolization, visual impairment, and anaphylaxis. The filler materials included were those approved by the US Food and Drug Administration at the time of this study.

Forty-one articles, representing 61 patients with severe complications, were identified. Data collected from these case reports included filler type, injection site, complication site, symptom interval, symptom of complication, time to therapy, modality of treatment, and outcome. The most common injection site for necrosis was the nose (33.3%), followed by the nasolabial fold (31.2%). Blindness was most often associated with injection of the glabella (50%). An estimated incidence of 0.0001% for developing a severe complication was calculated by reviewing society-based filler data and case reports within same time period.

Although soft-tissue fillers are a popular choice for minimally invasive rejuvenation of the face, physicians should be aware of the serious potential adverse effects, recognize their presentations, and have appropriate treatments readily available.