Abdominal skin presents hypoesthesia after abdominoplasty. It was not found in the literature a specific study about sensibility of the abdominal wall after abdominoplasty. The purpose of this study is to find out which modalities of sensibility are decreased and which areas of the abdominal wall are affected so that patients can be warned preoperatively about this condition. Forty patients were divided in two groups of twenty patients each. On the control group, patients had no previous abdominal incisions. The sensibility evaluation of patients from the experimental group was made from 12 to 60 months after the operation, with average of 30.75 months. All patients had the abdominal skin divided into twelve areas, nine of them were above the abdominoplasty incision and three areas were below it. Sensibility to superficial touch, superficial pain, hot and cold temperature, vibration and pressure were evaluated on both groups. Sensibility to all modalities was positive in all areas by a variable number of patients of the experimental group. However, in area 8 (hypogastric area) there was a statistically significant number of patients who referred decrease sensibility of some of the sensibility modalities (Fisher test and Cochran G test). Areas 5 (epigastric area) and 11(pubic area) showed also decreased sensibility to hot temperature in patients from the experimental group. Sensibility to pressure presented a statistically significant decrease in all areas of the abdomen when compared to the control group (Student t test) These findings help plastic surgeons to orient their patients about possible risk of exposure to injuries in the areas with decreased sensibility after abdominoplasty. Most importantly, as these patients presented decrease of sensibility to pressure and hot temperature in a more extensive area of the abdomen, they will be more exposed to burn injuries after this operation.
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