Acute Inflammatory Response of the Male Breasts Secondary to Self-injection of Petroleum Jelly A Case Report.

The injection of liquid foreign materials such as petroleum jelly and paraffin oil was used as an early medical intervention for the augmentation of body contour in the late 19th century. These practices were associated with severe late onset complications and they have been abandoned by plastic surgeons today. This article discusses a male-to-female transsexual patient with an acute inflammatory response with early sclerosing lipogranuloma of breasts associated with the self-injection of large amounts of petroleum jelly. The inflammation is successfully controlled with the early administration of prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotics, steroids, and nonsteroid anti-inflammatory agents followed by a subcutaneous mastectomy. The importance of medical education and psychology counseling is discussed.

Chen M, Yalamanchili C, Hamous J, Piskun MA, Weis B.

From the Department of Internal Medicine, TTUHSC; Amarillo Pathology Group; and Department of Plastic Surgery, TTUHSC, Amarillo, TX.