Penetrating Abdominal Trauma from Liposuction: The Miami Experience
Nicole B. Lyons,
Walter A. Ramsey,
Brianna L. Cohen,
Christopher F. O’Neil,
Cristina Botero-Fonnegra,
Carlos T. Huerta,
Aris Arakelians,
Sinan Jabori,
Kenneth G. Proctor,
Wrood Kassira,
Joyce I. Kaufman,
Edward B. Lineen,
Devinder Singh,
Nicholas Namias
Affiliations
Nicole B. Lyons
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Walter A. Ramsey
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Brianna L. Cohen
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Christopher F. O’Neil
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Cristina Botero-Fonnegra
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Carlos T. Huerta
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Aris Arakelians
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Sinan Jabori
Division of Plastic Surgery, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Kenneth G. Proctor
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Wrood Kassira
Division of Plastic Surgery, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Joyce I. Kaufman
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Edward B. Lineen
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Devinder Singh
Division of Plastic Surgery, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Nicholas Namias
Divisions of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care, Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed aesthetic plastic surgery procedures in the world. Although serious complications are rare, intra-abdominal complications such as bowel perforation are one of the most common causes of death after liposuction. We present a case series of six patients who sustained intra-abdominal injuries from liposuction. The acute care surgery (ACS) faculty at a single institution were surveyed for patients. Six patients were identified over a three-year period. The average age was 45 years, and all patients were female. All six underwent a cosmetic procedure in addition to their liposuction. Four (67%) had previous abdominal surgery, and five (83%) were overweight or obese. All patients presented with abdominal pain, tachycardia, and leukocytosis. All six underwent exploratory laparotomies: four patients had small bowel enterotomies, one had cecal volvulus and abdominal compartment syndrome, and one had fascial violation. They underwent an average of four ACS procedures (range 1 to 11) and had an average hospital LOS of 29 days (range 5 to 60) and an average ICU LOS of 11 days (range 1 to 39). Intra-abdominal injuries are a rare complication of liposuction; however, a high index of suspicion must be maintained to diagnose and treat these life-threatening injuries.
