Strange BBL complication with no answers. Please give advice (Photo)

Question

I'm 3 months post op BBL and have been having complications with my right cheek (not recovering well?). About 2 months post op it started hurting worse and worse finally went to ER as it was a bit red and hot. Was put on IV antibiotics for 10 days. Had CT scan but showed nothing to drain. Cheek hurts less now but looks Worse (see pic). Cheek is still warm and "bruising" has spread even though pain has improved alot. Theories anyone?!!? Also will lumpiness improve with time? Butt super lumpy.

Dallas Buchanan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your picture and questions. Without further details about your procedure it can be hard to give specific advice. That should come from your surgeon after an exam. I am concerned that you have an ongoing infection that is somewhat sub-clinical. Meaning that it does not appear with fluid collections or draining abscesses, but is a bacterial colonization that keeps causing problems. This may require additional workup and evaluation and your surgeon should be guiding you through that process. There are other things this could be too such as fat necrosis, but until a proper workup is done, it is impossible to tell.Hope this helps!

George Marosan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and photo. Your primary source should be your plastic surgeon, not an online forum. First, where was your BBL done? In the US or DR? You have an indolent infection, which the short course of antibiotics did not cure. There were several cases, I believe over a dozen, who had BBL done in the Dominican Republic and came back with Mycobacterium infections. These are very difficult to treat. You might need a tissue needle biopsy deep and see if tissue culture and pathology examination reveals the cause of your infection. Talk to your plastic surgeon, hopefully the right treatment will be found. Good luck.

Nicholas A. Flugstad, MD · Answer

It appears that you have either a low grade infection or fat necrosis. Atypical infections can be difficult to treat and often take many weeks of therapy once proper diagnosis is made. Fat necrosis is not very common after BBL, but can occur when the surgeon is very aggressive. It usually shows up as a firm, red, painful area for a portion of fat has died. You need close follow up with your surgeon and appropriate diagnostic workup. Depending on where you had your surgery, if you don't have a local American Board of Plastic Surgery certified surgeon, you might want to find one. Best wishes.

Strange BBL complication with no answers. Please give advice (Photo)

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Strange BBL complication with no answers. Please give advice (Photo)

Answers (3)

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