title: Patient satisfaction with two different methods of umbilicoplasty.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Wakefield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom From the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, Pinderfields Hospital.
authors.forename: Claudia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Malic
authors.forename: George E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Spyrou
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hough
authors.forename: LeRoux
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fourie
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000601:surgery*