“The best way to avoid being litigated is to have the patient sign a comprehensive pre-operative informed consent form. The patient needs to understand the informed consent, including the risks and benefits and alternatives to the fillers,” he said.

Because, as other studies have shown, litigation is largely due to a practitioner’s lack of training and the lack of informed consent for the patient.

“One of the most important issues raised appears to be a lack of informed consent. Hence, it is paramount that patients be aware of what they are getting into even though, for example, the chance of developing blindness is roughly one in 1 million,” Dr. Rayess said.