title: Lower body lift after massive weight loss: autoaugmentation versus no augmentation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower body lift procedures have increased in popularity to treat massive weight loss patients with redundant tissues of the buttocks. To date, no studies have specifically compared outcomes related to autoaugmentation versus no augmentation, complications, or patient satisfaction between these groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of 97 patients was performed to examine age, body mass index, length of stay, and complications. Patient satisfaction was assessed with a phone survey, and a blinded physician survey was used to assess aesthetics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two patients underwent autoaugmentation and 55 did not. The mean age of the patients was 46.1 years in the augmented group and 47.3 years in the nonaugmented group (p = 0.55); mean maximum body mass index was 52.1 versus 50.6 kg/m2, respectively (p = 0.42); mean current body mass index was 29.1 versus 27.7 kg/m2, respectively (p = 0.10); and mean change in body mass index was 23.1 versus 22.7 kg/m2, respectively (p = 0.81). Eighteen augmented patients (42.5 percent) had complications postoperatively compared with 11 nonaugmented patients (20 percent) (p = 0.012). Both groups would undergo the same procedure again and recommend it to a friend. Physicians repeatedly rated aesthetics of augmented buttocks higher than of nonaugmented buttocks (p ≤ 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoaugmentation in lower body lift procedures has a higher rate of complications, primarily because of dehiscence. Despite physicians rating aesthetics higher for autoaugmented patients, patient satisfaction is similar between the groups; thus, fully informed patients should be able to decide between procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, III.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh, Pa. From the Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: Udayan
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: J Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gusenoff
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002081:Buttocks / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015431:Weight Loss