Patient satisfaction with two different methods of umbilicoplasty.
BACKGROUND
Creating a youthful appearing umbilicus as part of an abdominoplasty enhances the overall result. Various different methods have been reported as producing equally good results.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients undergoing abdominoplasty were divided into two groups: 12 patients had round umbilicoplasty and 13 had an inverted U flap inset. Three independent surgeons assessed the aesthetic outcome of the two different techniques in specially designed clinics by using four-point ordinal scales, which were also used by the patients for subjective self-assessment.


RESULTS
Surgical assessment demonstrated equally good results with both methods, whereas the inverted U flap was the favorite method for reconstruction among patients (p < 0.029). Fifty-eight percent of patients in the round method group were conscious that they had umbilicoplasty, as opposed to only 15 percent in the inverted U flap group. Twenty-five percent of patients in the round group preferred their old umbilicus compared with this new one. None of the patients in the inverted U flap group preferred their old umbilicus.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors discuss the surgical technique of the inverted U flap. This is currently the method of choice in recreating the umbilicus at the time of abdominoplasty.
Malic
Claudia C
CC
Wakefield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom From the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Pinderfields Hospital.
Spyrou
George E
GE
Hough
Matthew
M
Fourie
LeRoux
L
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000601:surgery*