Imaging Findings of Liposuction with an Emphasis on Postsurgical Complications

Abstract

Liposuction is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic surgeries worldwide for reshaping the body contour. Although liposuction is minimally invasive and relatively safe, it is a surgical procedure, and it carries the risk of major and minor complications. These complications vary from postoperative nausea to life-threatening events. Common complications include infection, abdominal wall injury, bowel herniation, bleeding, haematoma, seroma, and lymphoedema. Life-threatening complications such as necrotizing fasciitis, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism have also been reported. In this paper, we provide a brief introduction to liposuction with the related anatomy and present computed tomography and ultrasonography findings of a wide spectrum of postoperative complications associated with liposuction.

Adventures and Misadventures in Plastic Surgery and Soft-Tissue Implants

“…In the immediate postoperative period, linear foci of fluid and fat stranding can be depicted within the deep subcutaneous fat on CT or MR images, findings that are due to irrigation of the liposuction plane with vasoconstrictor and anesthetic solutions. With time, the fluid resolves, leaving thick linear areas parallel to the skin surface, which represent the cannula tracks (12). If performed with concomitant abdominoplasty, these findings are seen with the previously described crowding of the rectus muscles in the midline related to rectus muscle plication during abdominoplasty (Fig 1).…”

“…The two most lethal complications of liposuction are venous thromboembolism and abdominal perforation; and although the incidence of both is low, venous thromboembolism alone accounts for 23% of postoperative deaths after liposuction (12). The standard practice of blind cannula insertion without imaging guidance is thought to be the major risk factor for the rare occurrences of abdominal wall injury, hernia formation, bowel perforation, and bowel obstruction (12,17). Much more rarely reported are other visceral organ injuries such as those involving the gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, ureter, or bladder (12,(18)(19)(20).…”

“…Abdominoplasty is now preceded by liposuction in 90% of cases, a combination of procedures that is termed lipoabdominoplasty when the two are performed together (11). The liposuction technique by itself essentially consists of inserting blunt cannulas through small access incisions to aspirate fat from the deep subcutaneous layer (12). Regions that are often targeted for fat removal include the posterior upper part of the arm, the lateral wall of the chest, the anterior part of the abdomen, the anterior and lateral parts of the pelvis, the lateral and inner portions of the thigh, the inferior portion of the buttock, the inner part of the knee, and the inner part of the calf (11).…”

Anesthesia Management for Large-Volume Liposuction

“…The literature is full of varied reports of complicated patients during or after liposuction, and it is enough to mention some of these complications to encourage specialized care and stay within the recommended guidelines. There is a wide spectrum on liposuction complications: pleural and lung injury, bilothorax, bowel herniation, hematoma, seroma, lymphedema, and abdominal wall injury with damage to intra-abdominal viscera such as the liver, biliary tract, intestinal, or bladder perforation necrotizing fasciitis, blindness, and coronary fat embolism [37][38][39].…”

Adipose derived stem cells transplantation negative effects (review)

“…Поскольку во время ЛС в определенной мере происходит разрушение жировой ткани в зоне ее выполнения, формирующаяся биологическая среда оказывается благоприятной для жизнедеятельности и размножения микроорганизмов. При отсутствии должного контроля за соблюдением правил асептики и антисептики в зоне хирургического вмешательства могут развиться различные формы гнойновоспалительных явлений -от поверхностной флегмоны до некротизирующего фасциита (НФ), являющегося жизнеугрожающим состоянием [27].…”