Early Postoperative Pulmonary Fat Embolism Following Cosmetic Liposuction: A Case Report

Liposuction is a very common plastic surgery procedure. Post-liposuction complications are uncommon but can be life-threatening, and early cardio-pulmonary symptoms may mimic benign postoperative responses. Serious complications such as fat embolism syndrome (FES) and pulmonary embolism rarely present within the first few hours, and an atypically early onset can create significant diagnostic uncertainty. FES, in particular, may initially manifest with subtle or nonspecific symptoms, contributing to missed or delayed recognition. We report the case of a 34-year-old previously healthy woman who presented to the emergency department with palpitations, dizziness, and hypotension approximately one hour after undergoing cosmetic liposuction under local anesthesia. Her presentation was atypical both in timing and in the absence of the classic triad of respiratory distress, neurological changes, and petechial rash. Given the unusually early onset, FES was considered but required careful differentiation from other postoperative causes of acute cardiopulmonary symptoms.