title: Tension suture technique combined with lidocain-adrenalin-saline-infiltration decreases complications in abdominoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Due to growing interest into body contouring has abdominoplasty become one of the most common aesthetic operations. New techniques have appeared to reduce the relatively high incidence of complications in abdominplasty. One technique is the tension suture technique, which can be combined with lidocain-adrenalin-saline-infiltration. Our aim was to analyse the results of this combined technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study consisted of 95 women operated on in a private hospital by one senior plastic surgeon between years 2004 and 2009. Sixty patients had other operations in addition to abdominoplasty: 49 liposuctions, six breast reductions or mastopexies, three umbilical hernioplasties, one brachioplasty, one partial excision of labias, and one blepharoplasty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The operative time was 82 minutes ranging from 45 to 173 minutes. Peroperative bleeding was a mean of 196 ml in abdominoplasty only and 254 ml when combined with additional operation. Patients did not have any major complications and the total incidence of minor--not clinically significant--complications was 12.6%. Obesity, smoking, comorbidities, previous operations on belly area or additional operations did not affect the complication rates. Our study supports the view that the tension suture technique combined with lidocain-adrenalin-saline-infiltration decrease the formation of seroma and wound complications in abdominoplasty. Lidocain-adrenalin-saline-infiltration also fastens and eases the operation without increasing the risk of bleeding in experienced hands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. marjo.helle@fimnet.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saariniemi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuokkanen
mesh_terms: D061645:Abdominoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D008012:Lidocaine; D004837:Epinephrine