Lipoabdominoplasty in Obese Patients: Is It Safe? Has Good Results?

BACKGROUND: We currently live a wide obesity epidemic. A large percentage of these obese individuals, particularly those who have failed to lose weight with diet and exercise and do not want to undergo bariatric surgery, or those undergoing bariatric surgery failed in weight loss are potential candidates performing plastic surgery. Plastic surgery in obese is a controversial issue because of a perception that it is associated with a higher incidence of complications.

OBJECTIVE: The authors present data from their eight-year experience supporting lipoabdominoplasty in obese patients as a safe and effective procedure for body contouring.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: A retrospective study of consecutive 456 patients who underwent Lipoabdominoplasty by Saldanha's technique between January 2007 and December 2014. Patients were divided into three groups and three subgroups, as showed:

- Group 1: patients with normal weight (BMI ² 24.9) –

- Group 2: Patients with overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9)

- Group 3: Obese patients (BMI ³ 30) and the group 3 was divided between:

            -Group  3 A - Patients with class I obesity (BMI between 30 and 34.9)

            - Group 3 B - Patients with class II obesity (BMI between 35 and 39.9)

            - Group 3 C – Patients with morbid obesity (BMI ³ 40)

RESULTS: Of  the 456 analyzed patients, Group 1: 82 (18.0%) in Group 2: 161 (35.3%) and in Group 3: 213 (46.7%). The incidence of major complications occurred as follows:

Hypertrophic scar: Group1 = 15.9%, Group 2 = 17.4% and Group 3 = 14.6%;

Dehiscence: Group1 = 12.2%, Group 2 = 10.6% and Group 3 = 9.9%;

Seroma: Group 1 = 0%, Group 2 = 2.5% and Group 3 = 6.1%;

Deep Vein Thrombosis: Group 1 = 0%, Group 2 = 0.6% and Group 3 = 0.5%;

Surgical Revision need: Group1 = 13.4%, Group 2 = 14.4% and Group 3 = 17.8%;

CONCLUSIONS: Since we follow a strict preoperative and postoperative protocol lipoabdominoplasty can be safely performed in high BMI patients. The incidence of complications in these patients is comparable to those found in patients with normal BMI. This technique showed excellent aesthetic results.