Is intramuscular fat grafting to the deltoids just as dangerous as intramuscular fat grafting in BBL?

Question

I would like to beef up my shoulders but I am worried because I read about fat embolism related to BBL. is deltoid fat grafting safer?

Fernando Colon, MD · Answer

At this time I would be very careful with submuscular fat grafting speciallyin large muscle groups. There are other alternatives that may help you achieve good results with lesser risks. Consult with a board certified plasticsurgeon experienced in body enhancement techniques. Best wishes.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Very likely the risk of injection of fat grafts within deltoid muscle is lower than similar injection in buttock muscles (in particular between buttock muscles) considering the size of muscles as well as anatomy regrading location of major blood vessels. However, this procedure is not frequently done and there is no scientific studies to confirm this statement. In person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon is recommended. Good luck.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear westnj77,
in most cases, blood vessels go through the muscles or between them so any fat transfer to muscles carry a lot higher risk of fat embolism than transfer above the muscle. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

The risk of emboli in fat grafting relates to the risk of entering large veins located in the muscle or located beneath it. As you might imagine based on the size and thickness of the gluteal muscles vs the deltoids, that risk is much lower and perhaps negligible in the shoulder muscles.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

The truth is we don’t have data to answer your question properly.There is still lots of questions about minimizing risk factors for the BBL procedure. There’s a large vein called a cephalic vein that runs in the DeltI-pectoral groove on the front side of the deltoid muscle. This pain is definitely big enough that someone could probably get into trouble if fat was grafted in that area. There’s also damn circumflex Artery that wraps around the humerus under the deltoid with its Associated venae comitantes.For a BBL it’s been recommended to use 5 mm cannula‘s to graft fat. This is awfully big to put through the deltoid muscle.my best guess is that a fat embolism is quite rare with this procedure if the surgeon understands anatomy specifically not injecting in the deepest layer of the muscle, staying away from the cephalic vein injecting lots of epinephrine containing numbing solution into the muscle first.   in the end all surgeries have risk.   does this procedure even make sense for you.   for surgery that have significant positive life impact some risk is justified. Has you provider showed numerous before and after pics taken at a minimum of three months after the procedure?   Ask to see ten consecutive results with pics taken at least three months out.   maybe this is one of those that sound to good to be true line etching when in the end the majority of patients all end up looking weird. Maybe this is the cats meow maybe it’s all talk and no walk.  Personally I’d take supplanted and hit the gym if I wanted to be buff to the point of getting muscle fat transfer but that’s me and this isn’t important to me.   bottom line.   no one knows the answer to your question.   any provider responding is making assumptions and guessing.best,Mats Hagstrom, MD

Is intramuscular fat grafting to the deltoids just as dangerous as intramuscular fat grafting in BBL?

Answers (5)

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