13-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) A startling incident in Redhill, Singapore, has raised concerns as a woman lost her eyesight in July following a dermal filler procedure, marking the first such case in the country. Dermal fillers are commonly used to temporarily reduce skin wrinkles and folds.
The victim received the AestheFill dermal filler from a certified doctor at a local clinic. Promptly, both the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Parvus, the distributor of AestheFill in Singapore, initiated investigations into this unprecedented case.
AestheFill, which was approved by HSA in October 2021, has been in use in Singapore for nearly a year. Parvus has confirmed the incident and is actively liaising with the concerned parties to gain a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances surrounding the case.
The HSA is diligently investigating whether there were any defects within the specific batch of AestheFill dermal fillers that might have compromised their safety and quality.
This alarming incident involved the blockage of a blood vessel that resulted in blindness following the administration of AestheFill. The patient, described as a young married woman, suddenly lost her eyesight in both eyes after receiving the dermal filler injection at the Redhill clinic.
It’s noteworthy that this report marks the first adverse event of blindness linked to dermal fillers in Singapore. HSA classifies dermal fillers as Class D medical devices, categorizing them as high-risk devices similar to heart valves or implantable defibrillators. Medical companies are obligated to report such adverse events to the authorities within ten days of their occurrence.
Efforts to obtain a response from the doctor who performed the procedure have been unsuccessful as of now. Importantly, the doctor involved in this case is a certified AestheFill trainer, raising further concerns about the safety of the procedure.
Brendan Pang, the general manager of Parvus, emphasized that only qualified healthcare professionals are authorized to administer AestheFill. He acknowledged the inherent risks associated with any medical procedure and affirmed that these risks are fully communicated to patients by trained medical practitioners before treatment.
HSA pointed out that there hasn’t been a significant increase in reports of adverse effects related to aesthetic implants like dermal fillers in Singapore. Nevertheless, it’s essential to recognize that the risk of blindness due to blood vessel blockage is a known potential complication associated with dermal fillers.
