Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging Guides Needling Treatment of Vascular Complications from Dermal Fillers.

[BACKGROUND] Although laser Doppler imaging (LDI) accurately delineates a hypoperfused area to help target hyaluronidase treatment, laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) is more appropriate for assessing microvascular hemodynamics and has greater reproducibility than LDI. This study investigated the use of LSCI in the evaluation and treatment of six patients who developed vascular complications after facial dermal filler injections.

[METHODS] The areas of vascular occlusion were accurately defined in real time by LSCI and were more precise than visual inspections or photographic evidence for guiding needling and hyaluronidase treatment.

[RESULTS] All patients had achieved satisfactory outcomes as early as Day 2 of treatment and no procedure-related complications were reported after a median follow-up of 9.5 (7-37) days.

[CONCLUSION] LSCI accurately and noninvasively delineated vascular occlusions in real time among patients experiencing complications of facial dermal filler injections. Moreover, LSCI was more accurate than visual and photographic evaluations. Clinicians can use LSCI to reliably follow-up therapeutic outcomes after salvage interventions for vascular occlusions.

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