Background: Recently, fat injection has been performed across the globe and has several advantages. However, there have not been many studies regarding the relationship between complications and contributing factors. The authors analyzed factors present when complications occurred during fat injections into the face.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for 62 patients who had moderate complications among the 1261 persons who had received full-face fat injection between April of 2004 and July of 2008. Complications included chronic edema, calcification, fibrosis, acne, headache, dysesthesia, drooping, and irregularity.
Results: There were no differences among the first, second, and third injection groups regarding age, body weight, height, or body mass index. However, there were statistically significant differences in injection amount and complication occurrence time (p < 0.0001). There were statistically significant differences in injection amount and complication occurrence time between the fresh and frozen fat (p < 0.0001). There were statistically significant differences regarding age, injection amount, and complication occurrence time according to the complication groups (p < 0.0001). There was also a difference between timing of the injection and the complication frequency (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.0001) and between fat status and the complication frequency (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.005).
Conclusions: Chronic edema, calcification, fibrosis, acne, headache, dysesthesia, drooping, and irregularity after full-face fat injection were observed as moderate complications. Although further study will be needed for the effective analysis of complications according to the number of injection or fat status, the authors found significant differences in age, complication occurrence time, and injection amount between some complication groups.
Clinical question/level of evidence: Risk, II.