Ask ChatGPT, filler injection victim flies from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City for help

(Dan Tri) - In a short period of time, hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have continuously received cases of severe complications after filler injections. There was a case that flew from Hong Kong to Vietnam for help, after looking up information from the ChatGPT platform.

On July 24, Dr. Nguyen Phan Tu Dung, General Director of a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said that recently, his workplace had treated many cases of necrosis in the buttocks, thighs, chin... due to injections of fillers of unknown origin.

Surgery to remove 3,000ml of filler, blood and pus from a young girl

The first case is female patient NTH (29 years old, Singaporean nationality) who had to pay a high price with deformities in her buttocks and thighs.

According to medical history, in 2019, she injected about 1,000ml of filler at an unlicensed spa, then continued to perform fat grafting to plump her buttocks in 2021. But after a while, the patient's buttocks and thighs became concave and convex, with loose muscle tissue, causing her to lose confidence in daily activities and have difficulty walking.

Surgeons handle complications from filler injections for patients (Photo: Hospital).

Through clinical examination, MRI and ultrasound diagnosis, Dr. Nguyen Phan Tu Dung assessed that the filler had penetrated deep into the muscle tissue layer, causing necrosis spreading from the buttocks to the thighs, but the patient was unaware. Late treatment made the patient's abscess condition extremely serious.

The cause was determined to be due to incorrect filler injection technique and too much injection, causing the filler to penetrate deeply into the muscle tissue, causing infection and necrosis.

The patient was scheduled for urgent filler curettage surgery, with AI ultrasound technology applied throughout the surgery. After the surgery, nearly 3,000 ml of necrotic fluid mixture including filler, necrotic tissue and blood was removed from the patient's body.

Currently, the patient continues to be placed on a negative pressure suction machine (VAC) and receives intensive care. After 6 months to 1 year of treatment, the patient can undergo fat grafting to plump up the buttocks.

Nearly 3,000ml of fluid mixture was removed from the girl's body after surgery (Photo: Hospital).

Doctor panicked because the patient's chin "glowed" at night.

On the same evening that Ms. H. was admitted to the hospital, Dr. Tu Dung received another emergency case related to filler complications. It was a 25-year-old Vietnamese man living in Hong Kong (China), who was admitted to the hospital with a swollen chin and severe pain, clearly affecting his ability to eat and perform daily activities.

Notably, the red chin was "glowing", which made the doctor panic. Mr. L. said that he had previously injected filler many times to improve the shape of his chin. Because he was not satisfied with the results, he injected a drug to dissolve the filler, then injected new filler into the chin area, causing severe damage to the tissue there.

After asking ChatGPT and being provided with a lot of information related to cases of cosmetic complications with spectacular recovery in Vietnam, the patient decided to fly from Hong Kong to seek help from a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, hoping to find a safe treatment direction.

The patient's chin was red and glowing (Photo: Hospital).

After examination, Vietnamese doctors diagnosed Mr. L. with necrotizing fasciitis due to an abscess spreading below the chin area, a dangerous complication if not treated promptly. The medical team immediately activated the emergency surgery procedure that night.

During the 3-hour surgery, the doctors thoroughly removed all remaining filler and treated the deep abscesses. The entire surgery was performed through an incision inside the oral cavity, helping to preserve the aesthetic factor and avoid scarring after surgery.

Thanks to the application of modern technology and the smooth coordination between specialties, the surgery was successful and the patient is in the active recovery stage.

“The victim was characterized by “disorganized” filler injections. Surgeons cannot rely solely on experience or the naked eye, but must have the support of an ultrasound machine, like a “magic eye” that helps us locate the injury more quickly and accurately.

The AI ​​ultrasound system helps doctors guide interventional instruments safely, shortening surgery time and minimizing complications. This is an important step forward in treating cosmetic complications" - Dr. Tu Dung, head of the surgical team shared.

Doctors monitor patient complications through AI ultrasound system (Photo: Hospital).

Doctor Tu Dung warned that in the above cases, the patients were injected with fillers at unlicensed facilities, and the person performing the injection did not have medical qualifications, leading to incorrect anatomical injections, causing serious complications and difficulty in handling later.

"People should not believe in cheap advertisements, at-home filler injections and those of unclear origin. When unusual signs appear after injection such as prolonged pain, swelling, redness, deformity, loss of sensation... they should go to a specialized hospital for timely examination and treatment," the doctor shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/hoi-chatgpt-nan-nhan-tiem-filler-bay-tu-hong-kong-sang-tphcm-cau-cuu-20250724124301383.htm