title: Abdominoplasty with total abdominal liposuction for patients with massive weight loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Massive weight loss after bariatric surgery is associated with significant skin excess, laxity, and ptosis over the abdomen. Good results have been achieved with abdominoplasty and circumferential lipectomy. However, blood transfusions are sometimes needed, and patients may require long hospital stays. Furthermore, morbidity rates are high. Total abdominal liposuction performed with abdominoplasty allows for the preservation of lymphatic vessels below Scarpa's fascia and eliminates the need for upper flap undermining. This study aimed to evaluate this technique in patients with anterior abdominal redundancy attributable to massive weight loss after bariatric surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of 60 patients treated between December 2001 and October 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. All the patients had undergone previous bariatric surgery as well as subsequent total abdominal liposuction and abdominoplasty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average amount of wetting solution used was 3.1 l, and the average total aspirate was 2.5 l. The mean pannus weight was 3,649 g, and the average dimension was 48 x 25 x 6 cm. No patient required a blood transfusion. The median in-hospital stay was 1 day, with 42% of the patients treated as outpatients. The median follow-up period was 3 months. Morbidity was 22%. Factors associated with the development of complications were weight of the pannus, transverse dimension of the pannus, and body mass index. All the patients were satisfied with the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total abdominal liposuction followed by abdominoplasty is adequate treatment for anterior abdominal redundancy for patients with massive weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham and The Center for Advanced Surgical Aesthetics, 510 20th Street, South, 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espinosa-de-los-Monteros
authors.forename: Jorge I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: de la Torre
authors.forename: Laurence Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Leonik A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ahumada
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stoff
authors.forename: Eric H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Luis O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Vásconez
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000601:surgery*; D015431:Weight Loss