Our Clinical Approaches to Different Types of Secondary Abdominal Contour Deformities after Body Contouring Surgeries

Since the first description of an abdominoplasty was published more than a century ago, many surgical techniques in abdominoplasty have been developed. Abdominal contour surgery has also gained popularity with that development. Today, abdominoplasty is one of the most common aesthetic surgical procedures in the world. And the growing number of surgical operations performed in improper hands has brought in increasing complication rates and dissatisfied patients. In our practice we encountered many different types of deformities from skin irregularities to skin necrosis and from scar visibility to high-riding scar. Our surgical approach to each problem was in a different way. Our problem solving types extended minor scar revisions to redoing the abdominoplasty or to reconstruction of the abdominal area with using tissue expanders.In this study, we’d like to share with you our experiences and approaches to different variety of seconder abdominal deformities after liposuction and body contouring surgeries.

Patients and Methods:Between 2007 and 2015, 800 body contouring procedures were performed in our clinic and 96 of them were secondary abdominal contour deformities. The types of deformities that require secondary surgery  have been identified in 7 main groups as in table.

1. Insufficient removal of excess skin and fat
2. Deformity of umbilicus
3. Scar visibility
4. Overall dissatisfaction with the look
5. Skin necrosis
6. Excessive liposuction
7. High riding scar

Results: In our series, 96 patients underwent secondary abdominal contour correction surgeries between 2007 and 2015. The encountered deformities have been classified in 7 main sections. According the deformities in each group , different surgical techniques have been planed and performed. Surgical scale has varied from a simple scar revision up to the reconstructive procedures with the tissue expanders. Any skin necrosis according the low blood circulation have been observed after the procedures. The incidence of seroma formation was determined higher than the primary cases.

Conclusion: Secondary abdominal body contouring deformities can present themselves in varies ways. It is important to have great deal experience with secondary abdominoplasty to repair these deformities. But significant amount of improvement can be achieved if right surgical planing is done and different approach as use for every different type of deformity.