Multiple Retinal Emboli and Medial Canthal Swelling Following Injection of Acellular Porcine Urinary Bladder Matrix for Hair Restoration
April 2023
TLDR A woman had eye pain and vision loss after a hair growth treatment, but her symptoms improved after a month.
A 64-year-old female experienced acute-onset eye pain and decreased visual acuity following a subcutaneous injection of acellular porcine urinary bladder matrix at the hairline, a substance known to promote wound healing and stimulate hair growth. Fundus examination revealed multiple emboli at retinal arcade branch points, and fluorescein angiography showed corresponding areas of peripheral nonperfusion. Two weeks later, she developed swelling of the right medial canthus, possibly due to vessel recruitment after occlusion in the facial vasculature. However, at a 1-month follow-up, her visual acuity improved and the swelling resolved. The fundus examination was normal with no visible emboli. This case of retinal occlusion and medial canthal swelling following the injection for hair restoration is, to the authors' knowledge, unprecedented.
