Thighplasty after bariatric surgery: evaluation of lymphatic drainage in lower extremities.
BACKGROUND
Bariatric surgery for morbid obesity achieves an accentuated weight loss, with skin and soft tissue redundancy in some corporal segments, including the thighs. The thigh lift is a plastic surgery that improves this redundant tissue in the medial thigh area, but this surgical procedure may have complications, such as inferior migration of the scar, delayed wound healing, vulvar distortion, and lymphatic system alterations.


METHODS
To evaluate the effect of the thighplasty on the lymphatic system, 14 patients were prospectively included in this study. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed before thighplasty, and this result was compared to the new examination performed 6 months after thighplasty. The exclusion standards include patients with clinical alterations and abnormal lymphoscintigraphy in previous surgery.


RESULTS
The statistical analysis was performed on 26 inferior members, according to exclusion standards. All the members had normal lymphoscintigraphy in the preoperative period. After thighplasty, eight members (30.8%) demonstrated abnormal lymphoscintigraphy (p = 0.008) resulting in significant functional and anatomic alterations in the lymphatic system.


CONCLUSIONS
The thigh lift changes lymphatic drainage in lower extremities according to lymphoscintigraphy analyses.
Plastic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Santa Casa School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. hachulmoreno@terra.com.br
Cristina Hachul
CH
Moreno
Henrique Jorge Guedes
HJ
Neto
Américo Helene
AH
Junior
Carlos Alberto
CA
Malheiros
D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013848:Thigh; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss