Commentary on: Internal and external carotid artery embolism following facial injection of autologous fat

Abstract

Unfortunately, this author can think of no intervention or alteration of treatment method that would have improved this patien's outcome (apart from the use of epinephrine in the treatment areas prior to injection). Once this patient had arrived in the recovery area, the damage was already done. With these rare complications, there is always a great danger of hubris. Just as any experienced surgeon will tell you, if a procedure actually accomplishes something, there will be some nonzero risk of adverse events. We cannot have completely risk-free procedures, although it is a very good thing that we all aspire to that noble goal. The best we can hope for is to make that number as small as possible by practicing as safely and ethically as possible.