Abstract
Liquid body contouring by intramuscular injection of site-enhancing-oils (SEOs) for
muscle volume enlargement has increasingly become a popular practice in bodybuilding.
Its immediate and long-term health consequences remain ambiguous and post-injection
complications are sparsely documented in the medical literature.
Here we report a series of patients presenting with post-injection complications upon
self-attempted liquid body contouring through injection of SEOs. Ten patients visited
our departments for plastic and reconstructive surgery for variable local and systemic
complications. All patients showed a history of single or multiple SEO use and presented
on average nine years post-injection with variable complications. Most patients experienced
painful nodular indurations and swellings in the injected target muscles. Two patients
showed signs of infection including erythema, elevated body temperature and local
inflammatory symptoms. One patient presented additionally with a severe form of non-parathyroid
hypercalcemia. Four patients ultimately underwent surgical treatment. The use of SEOs
for liquid body contouring is a dangerous practice and is associated with potentially
systemic and life-threatening complications. Surgical treatment may be the only therapeutic
option in advanced cases and should be performed timely. Guidelines on diagnostic
and therapeutic measures are warranted. Educational measures should be undertaken
to raise awareness among athletes and medical professionals.
Keywords
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