Cyst formation after fat injection

Autologous fat injection has been widely used during the past 20 years to correct contour anomalies. We have been using suction-assisted lipectomy for the past 13 years, and we have used the aspirated fat to correct contour irregularities on several occasions. We present the case of a 44-year-old woman who, after autologous fat transplantation to correct a contour anomaly (depression secondary to a previous operation) at her left groin, developed a large cyst containing pearl-like fat lobules. The cyst was first noticed 3 months postoperatively and was removed under local anesthesia 5 months postoperatively. Histology confirmed that the lobules were mature fat cells.