The paper, “A Consensus on Minimizing the Risk of Hyaluronic Acid Embolic Vision Loss and Suggestions for Immediate Bedside Management”, published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal (official publication of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), has just received the prestigious accolade of ‘Best International Paper of 2020’ by the ASJ.
The ground-breaking paper highlights that, despite the satisfactory safety profile of hyaluronic acid fillers, adverse reactions do occur, and although visual loss due to filler injections is rare, it is important that both patient and physician be aware of this risk.
The consensus group, which consisted of a multinational group of experts in cosmetic injectables from multiple disciplines, convened to provide guidance on how to minimise the risk and optimise the management of this rare but catastrophic adverse reaction as currently there is no internationally recognised consensus on the prevention or management of blindness from hyaluronic acid filler.
Read our interview with 6 members of the research team here.
Associate Professor Greg Goodman AO was the principal author on the paper, which was collaborated on as a result of the consensus meeting at the end of the 2018 Australian Society of Cosmetic Dermatologists (ASCD) conference.
The research team comprised 22 prominent medical and nursing practitioners, including 15 from Australia – lead author Assoc Prof Greg J Goodman as well as international experts from the USA, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, Taiwan and India.
‘Congratulations to Associate Professor Greg Goodman AO as lead author of this landmark paper and to all those who were involved in not only breaking down the barriers of risk but also providing recommendations to mitigate embolic injury when injecting HA dermal fillers. This paper was a true collaboration across the various disciplines in the name of patient safety,’ said CPCA President and co-author Dr Michael Molton.
In this paper, the authors describe methods and techniques available to reduce the risk and also document suggested initial management should a clinician find themselves in this situation, providing specific recommendations focusing on the consenting process, prevention, and early management of visual impairment related to intravascular hyaluronic acid filler injection.
‘This award highlights the broadest span of experience and understanding across medical, dermatologic and surgical colleagues who are all committed to patient safety and education,’ said co-author Dr Kosenko.
‘I am very privileged to be part of this amazing international group led by Professor Goodman, striving for patient safety in our industry,’ said co-author Dr Arendse.
