Refining trunk contouring with reverse abdominoplasty.
BACKGROUND
The reverse abdominoplasty is an effective technique for selected patients seeking treatment for upper abdominal tissue excess and laxity. Specifically, the procedure is particularly effective in patients who have previously undergone conventional abdominoplasty or liposuction and have residual upper abdominal contour problems. It is a versatile technique that may be combined with a number of adjunctive procedures, notably autologous breast augmentation with the excess upper abdominal tissue.


METHODS
The authors reviewed their experience with the reverse abdominoplasty in a series of 14 consecutive patients who underwent surgery over a five-year period. Patient case notes, as well as and pre- and postoperative clinical photographs, were analyzed. Furthermore, patients were directly questioned to assess their surgical result.


RESULTS
The mean age of the cohort was 56.6 years and the majority of patients had undergone previous abdominal or breast aesthetic surgery. A mean of 6 cm of upper abdominal tissue was excised, weighing a mean of 326 g. There were no major complications and only three patients had to undergo minor revisional surgery postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors present their surgical outcomes and discuss the indications, benefits, and lessons they have learned from their experience with this useful technique in relation to the published literature. The ideal candidate for this procedure appears to be a patient who is older, presents with excess upper abdominal skin, has had a previous conventional abdominoplasty, and who has existing inframammary scars.
Pacifico
Marc D
MD
Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK. marc@pacifico.co.uk
Mahendru
Sanjay
S
Teixeira
Rodrigo P
RP
Southwick
Graeme
G
Ritz
Morris
M
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome