1. Objectifying the Risk of Vascular Complications in Gluteal Augmentation With Fat Grafting: A Latex Casted Cadaveric Study
- Author
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James E. Zins, Edoardo Dallapozza, Carlos Ordenana, and Sayf A Said
- Subjects
Latex ,Embolism, Fat ,Dissection (medical) ,030230 surgery ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Superior gluteal artery ,medicine.artery ,Cadaver ,medicine ,Humans ,Gluteus maximus muscle ,Buttocks ,Vein ,business.industry ,General Medicine ,Anatomy ,medicine.disease ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Adipose Tissue ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Surgery ,Venae cavae ,Cadaveric spasm ,business ,Artery - Abstract
Background Fat transfer is the most popular means of gluteal augmentation. However, this procedure may be complicated by pulmonary fat embolisms (PFEs). Of 135 PFEs out of 198,857 cases reported by the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation task force, 32 were fatal, contributing to the mortality risk of this procedure being as high as 1:2351. Objectives The aim of this study was to generate an anatomic map of the 3-dimensional location and variability in size of the gluteal region vessels. Methods Twenty cadaveric gluteal regions were dissected. The aorta, venae cavae, popliteal, and saphenous veins were cannulated and injected with colored latex. Dissection was performed subcutaneously, in the gluteus maximus (GM), and submuscularly to evaluate the number and vascular distribution of all the vessels. Vessels were mapped on an XYZ axis. Results The subcutaneous plane, containing 25 vessels on average, had the smallest vessel diameters (artery, 0.9 [0.3] mm; vein, 1.05 [0.22] mm). The GM vein diameter was 1.3 [0.3] mm. Branches of the inferior gluteal vessels had arterial and venous calibers of 2.2 [0.04] mm and 3.5 [0.99] mm, respectively. Superior gluteal artery and vein branches were 1.8 [0.2] mm and 3.85 [1.9] mm in diameter, respectively. Superior and inferior gluteal vein diameters were 7.61 [2.24] mm and 13.65 [6.55] mm, respectively. Conclusions The deeper and more medial planes of the gluteal region house larger, more prominent vessels. This research objectifies and is consistent with recommendations made by various recent task force reports to limit fat transfer to the subcutaneous plane.
- Published
- 2019
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