Lipoabdominoplasty: A Comparative Study of Combined Operation Versus Lipoabdominoplasty Only

ABSTRACT

Abdominoplasty may be applied to achieve aesthetic outcome and it also can be combined with other surgeries. In addition, liposuction has been offered to patients to improve contour. Liposuction combined with abdominoplasty gives us the advantage of higher patient satisfaction, better aesthetic outcome, and one-staged surgery. The authors performed a retrospective study to evaluate the outcomes. A total of 6 patients who underwent lipoabdominoplasty were included. The patients were all female and the mean age of the patients was 50.5 years old(age range, 32 to 58 years). This study surveyed lipoabdominoplasty based on the purpose of operation, type of suture, and application of quilting suture. Complication rates, patient satisfaction, and postoperative contour of the abdomen were questioned. A mild abdominal complication occurred in one patient, flap bullae, but this was healed within a week and overall flap survival was excellent with good satisfactory outcome. It appears that complication rates of simple lipoabdominoplasty group is low(1/6), and only minor complication occurs. Preservation of perforators during liposuction accounts for improved flap survival. In addition, abdominoplasty may be combined with other abdominal surgeries since other abdominal surgeries usually involve the lower abdomen, which will eventually be cut away curing the abdominoplasty stage.