Abdominal wall treatment with plication using the crossbow technique

Abstract

Introduction: Owing to the need to deliver results with greater definition in abdominoplasties, techniques must evolve. The objective of this study was to introduce the crossbow technique for plication along with its three variants that reinforces the concept of vertical and horizontal alignments of the aponeurosis of the rectus and oblique abdominis muscles at the same time, promotes 2 different traction vectors, and culminates in a greater definition of the abdominal wall, mainly in the hypogastrium and iliac fossa regions. Methods: From January 2016 to February 2018, 22 surgeries were performed exclusively with the types l, ll, or lll crossbow technique, both in esthetic surgery cases and post-bariatric patients. Results: The results were favorable both from the esthetic point of view, with greater definition of the hypogastrium, and from a clinical point of view, as none of the patients showed signs or symptoms different from those of the conventional techniques. Conclusion: The crossbow technique is a simple and reproducible tool in the medical armamentarium to improve abdominal esthetics. Although it promotes the strengthening of the hypogastric region, both for primary and secondary treatments of this region, only a sample size increase can demonstrate the possible advantages of the method.