Macro Fat Embolism After Gluteal Augmentation With Fat: First Survival Case Report

Gluteal augmentation with fat has become one of the most common cosmetic procedures worldwide. Gluteal augmentation is designed to increase the volume and contour of the gluteal region. Intramuscular lipoinjection has been linked to multiple reports of severe complications, including death due to macro fat embolism (MAFE). The authors present the first reported case of survival and successful recovery after MAFE secondary to gluteal augmentation with fat. A 41-year-old woman, ASA II, was scheduled for augmentation mammaplasty, liposuction, and gluteal augmentation with fat. The patient was operated under general anesthesia with a total intravenous anesthesia technique. A total of 3.5 liters of fat was liposuctioned with no complications. The patient was then positioned in a lateral decubitus position for gluteal augmentation with fat. Right after the last injection, the anesthesiologist noticed a sudden change in capnography followed by hypotension, bradycardia, and hypoxemia. The first reaction in the operating room was to consider that the patient was experiencing a severe episode of fat embolism. She was then resuscitated and transferred to a tertiary facility for intensive care management. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of successful resuscitation in a patient experiencing severe MAFE after gluteal augmentation with fat. We believe that this patient survived the event due to early detection, aggressive management, and proper transfer to an intensive care unit. Level of Evidence: 5.