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Suspected coronary fat embolism after liposuction

Alisa Thamwiwat1, Deepthi Sudhakar1, David Paniagua1,2

  • 1Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions : Official Journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions
|March 31, 2018
PubMed

Insights

A patient experienced chest pain and ST elevation after liposuction due to fat embolism blocking coronary arteries. This is the first reported case of multiple coronary artery occlusions following this cosmetic procedure.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Cosmetic Surgery

Background:

  • Liposuction is a common cosmetic procedure.
  • Complications can arise, but coronary artery involvement is rare.

Observation:

  • A 38-year-old female developed chest pain and ST elevation post-liposuction.
  • Coronary angiography showed multiple artery occlusions, suspected to be fat embolism.

Findings:

  • Interventions like balloon dilatation and aspiration yielded minimal improvement.
  • The aspirated material confirmed the presence of fat.
  • Supportive therapy, including Impella CP, led to clinical improvement.

Implications:

  • This case highlights a rare but serious complication of liposuction.
  • Increased awareness is needed for early diagnosis and management of fat embolism syndrome affecting coronary arteries.
  • Further research into preventative strategies for liposuction-related embolic events is warranted.

Keywords:
coronaryembolismfatliposuction

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