• Carlos Santiago Restrepo, Maddy Artunduaga, Jorge A Carrillo, Aura L Rivera, Paulina Ojeda, Santiago Martinez-Jimenez, Ana C Manzano, and Santiago E Rossi.
• University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. crestr@gmail.com
• J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2009 Mar 1;33(2):233-7.

ObjectiveTo assess patient outcome and imaging findings of patients with pulmonary embolism of fluid silicone.MethodsMedical records and imaging examinations of 10 patients with respiratory distress after illicit injection of fluid silicone were reviewed. Population consisted of 8 male (6 male-to-female transsexuals) and 2 female subjects.ResultsAverage age was 29 years. Most common injection sites were gluteal and trochanteric. Respiratory symptoms developed between 15 minutes and 2 days after silicone injection. Five referred fever, 6 developed adult respiratory distress syndrome, and 2 subsequently died. Alveolar hemorrhage was demonstrated on pathological examination in 6, with silicone vacuoles in the lung parenchyma in 3. Computed tomography demonstrated peripheral ground glass opacities with interlobular septal thickening in all and peripheral airspace disease in 7.ConclusionsIllicit injection of large volumes of fluid silicone for cosmetic purposes is associated with pulmonary embolism and acute alveolar hemorrhage and is associated with a significant mortality.

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