Might Topical Heparin Help With Occlusion Emergencies After Accidental Intra-Arterial Hyaluronic Acid Injections?

Abstract Hyaluronic acid fillers rarely cause potentially devastating occlusive adverse events that require immediate hyaluronidase salvage infiltrations. An exploratory photographic investigation probed whether topical heparin's anticlotting and anti-inflammatory properties could synergize with and enhance the effectiveness of hyaluronidase. Based on heparin pharmacodynamics, the authors explored the rationale for associating topical heparins with hyaluronidase in treating occlusive side effects following accidental intra-arterial hyaluronic acid injections. In the first case, an occlusion in the right superior labial artery area, highlighted by reddish-blue net-like skin discoloration (livedo reticularis), developed below the nasal pyramid shortly after 3 intradermal injections of low-viscosity hyaluronic acid gel, rapidly progressing to the glabellar and forehead regions. Within 1 h after the hyaluronidase salvage injection (80 IU), topical low-molecular-weight heparin (40 mg enoxaparin) was uniformly applied, and the procedure was repeated every 8 h for 15 days. In the second case, a cluster of severe occlusive lesions developed in the nose and nasal tip areas after 3 hyaluronic acid injections (formulation and doses as previously stated). After the first week, enoxaparin (4000 IU) was applied topically every 8 h for an additional 3 weeks. Two sequences of photographs document the occlusions’ evolution toward almost complete skin repair after 28 days (first case: immediate combined treatment) and 15 days (second case: sequential treatment spaced 1 week). The anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic pharmacodynamics of heparin and heparin derivatives offer a promising rationale as an add-on option (combined hyaluronidase and topical heparin) to treat the occlusive side effects caused by hyaluronic acid. Level of Evidence: 5 (Therapeutic)