Acute Upper Airway Obstruction Due to Neck Hematoma After Cervical Liposuction

Liposuction, also known as suction lipectomy, is an aesthetic procedure that removes fat from the submandibular, submental, chin, and neck regions. Hematomas are complications caused by ruptured blood vessels during the insertion of the cannula, which is more common in patients who use anticoagulant or anti-inflammatory medications before surgery. It could potentially be life-threatening if left untreated due to fatal airway obstruction and respiratory distress. Patients present with dysphagia, asphyxia, dysphonia, and a lot of discomfort. Immediate surgical intervention and pain control are necessary to provide patients with a positive quality of life. A 20-year-old male patient underwent liposuction under local anesthesia for treatment of his double chin. He presented one week later with slight swelling in the neck area, where vigorous manipulation and massaging had been done, and suddenly developed a massive, increasing swelling in the neck. Furthermore, the patient complained of difficulty breathing and swallowing. A diffuse hematoma was present in the subcutaneous plane, as identified by a computed tomography angiogram (CTA).