Lipoabdominoplasty: What We Have Implemented and What We Have Modified over 26 Years

Abstract

Lipoabdominoplasty is one of the most commonly performed procedures in body-contouring surgery. We present a retrospective study of our 26 years of experience to improve the results and assure the greatest possible safety in lipoabdominoplasty. We include all of our female patients who underwent lipoabdominoplasty performed from July 1996 to June 2022, dividing the patients into two groups: group I underwent circumferential liposuction avoiding abdominal flap liposuction for the first 7 years, and group II underwent circumferential liposuction including abdominal flap liposuction for the subsequent 19 years, pointing out the differences in the processes, results, and complications of both groups. Over a period of 26 years, 973 female patients underwent lipoabdominoplasty: 310 in group I and 663 in group II. Ages were very similar; however, weight, BMI, amount of liposuction material, and weight of the abdominal flap removed were higher in group I. Twenty percent of patients in group I were obese compared to 7% in group II. The average amount of liposuction in group I was 4990 mL compared to 3373 mL in group II and 1120 g of abdominal flap in group I versus 676 g in group II. Minor and major complications were 11.6% and 1.2% in group I versus 9.2% and 0.6% in group II, respectively. In our more than 26 years of performing lipoabdominoplasty, we have maintained most of our initial procedures. These processes have allowed us to perform surgery safely and effectively with a low morbidity rate.