Early ultrasound for diagnosis and treatment of vascular adverse events with hyaluronic acid fillers.

Background: Hyaluronic acid fillers are known for a reliable safety profile, but complications do occur, even serious vascular adverse events.

Objective: To improve the treatment outcome after a vascular adverse event with use of hyaluronic acid filler treatments.

Methods: Duplex ultrasonography is used to detect the hyaluronic acid filler causing the intra-arterial obstruction.

Results: If treated in time, 1 single treatment of ultrasonographically guided injections of hyaluronidase into the filler deposit will prevent skin necrosis.

Conclusion: Because the use of duplex ultrasonography adds extra essential information, its use may become an integral part of the prevention and treatment of injection adverse events.