Abdominoplasty

Abstract

Surgery for improvement in the appearance of the abdomen (aesthetic abdominoplasty) is 100 years old. All the initial operations were done with the primary aim of herniorrhaphy, excising the fatty apron as a bonus. The majority of patients presenting today have neither a hernia nor the severity. They require more of aesthetic body contouring operations designed to give a better look in various states of dress or undress. The modern abdominoplasty techniques developed in the last 45 years consist of a low transverse incision, wide undermining up to the costal margins, correction of divarication of recti (with or without tightening of musculature in horizontal direction), excision of redundant skin and fat, and umbilical transposition. Many times a liposuction procedure is combined with abdominoplasty to provide better contouring. To achieve a successful outcome, appropriate patient selection and attention to minor details during surgery are of extreme importance.