New treatment of steroid-induced fat atrophy

Treatment of Steroid-Induced Lipoatrophy Following Transverse Abdominis Plane Block With Serial Intralesional Isotonic Saline Injections: A Case Report

A transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block is one option in the management of chronic groin pain after inguinal hernia repair. Steroid-induced lipoatrophy following local injection is an infrequent complication of this procedure, but can be distressing to patients when it does occur. A 36-year-old male patient of ours sustained this rare procedural complication and underwent successful reversal of the lipoatrophy through serial intralesional isotonic saline injections. The serial intralesional injection of isotonic saline is technically simple and may be an effective means of treating lipoatrophy. Pain specialists may opt to treat this procedural complication rather than refer to dermatology.

Saline in Dermatology: A literature review

BACKGROUND

Saline, with its different concentrations, is the most used crystalloid solution in medicine. In dermatology, no large studies investigated the benefits of saline. The aim of this article is to review the different possible uses of saline in dermatology, in order to give final recommendations based on the literature review and our experience.

METHODS

We performed a literature search based on PubMed, EMBASE, WHO Global Health Library, Virtual Health Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Research gate. using the keywords: saline, physiological, hypertonic, isotonic, hypotonic, salt solution, sodium chloride, 0.9% NaCl, solvent, drug delivery, injection mixtures, diluent, sclerosant, intravenous, intralesional, injection, topical, soaks, fomentation, inhalation, alopecia, psoriasis, scars, atopic dermatitis, eczema, bromoderma, iododerma, lipodystrophy, in various combinations with the Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT. We also hand-searched textbooks.

RESULTS

Saline was used as a diluent with intralesional injection of steroids to minimize the risk of steroid-induced atrophy, being safe and free from preservatives that may precipitate steroids at site of injection and maximize their side effects. Saline has also been used after surgery, when atrophic scars take place or anticipated, and through injection in leishmaniasis, granuloma annulare, atrophic acne scars before using other expensive and less tolerated treatment options.

CONCLUSIONS

The saline represents a helpful option as a diluent with intralesional injection of steroids in various dermatologic therapeutic indications. Moreover, the use of saline in this setting could help to minimize the risk of steroid-induced atrophy. We encourage the use of saline after surgery, when atrophic scars take place or anticipated. Also, we encourage a trial of saline injection in leishmaniasis, granuloma annulare, atrophic acne scars before using other expensive and less tolerated treatment options.

Steroid-induced Kager's fat pad atrophy

We report a rare case of Kager's fat pad atrophy and fibrosis in a 60-year-old woman 1 year after a steroid injection for Achilles tendinopathy. There are few published reports of steroid-induced atrophy affecting deeper layers of fat tissue. To our knowledge, this case report is the first to illustrate its features using magnetic resonance imaging. A review of the scientific literature is also presented.