| Circumferential
Abdominoplasty |
| Although isolated
liposuction remains the mainstay for body contouring, this is primarily
indicated for patients who present with localized fat excess and
fat disproportion. However, many patients presenting excessive cellulite,
stretch marks and laxity of skin are better served by excisional
lifts. In some
patients, traditional segmental excisional lift such as abdominoplasty,
flank plasty, thigh buttocks lift, may create more disproportion
and imbalance in truncal contour. Extension of the area of resection
may provide a more generous excision of fat and skin with the
subsequent improvement in lifting and better aesthetic results
in the total contour of the lower body.
Indications for lower
body lifts are: |
- skin laxity without
significant fat deposits,
- excessive skin laxity
with cellulite,
- flabby flanks and buttocks,
- flabby thighs and buttocks,
- skin tightening as
a primary goal,
- buttocks ptosis,
- treatment of sequela
or unsatisfactory aesthetic results following liposuction.
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| Preop
Markings - 3/4 View |
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Postop
Results - 3/4 View |
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| Depending on
the deformity, lower body lift is accomplished via a combination
of the following different approaches: |
- circumferential abdominoplasty-flank/buttocks
lift.
- Medial thigh flank/buttocks
lift.
- Medial thigh-circumferential
abdominoplasty-flank/buttocks lift.
- Medial thigh lift extended
U-M abdominoplasty.
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| Whatever the
combination chosen the following guidelines should be followed: |
- Incisions placed in
high-cut bikini line.
- Suspension in the fibroadipose
layer (superficial fascial system) with nonabsorbable suture
material.
- Generous discontinuous
undermining with cannulas for transmission of the lifting forces
to a more distal area.
- Conservative liposuction
of areas susceptible to skin necrosis.
- Subdermal closure with
permanent sutures and with deliberate eversion of skin edges
for better long term quality of scars.
- Application of Reston
foam on a short term basis and garment support for several weeks.
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| Before
- Frontal View |
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After
- Frontal View |
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| Before
- 3/4 View |
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After
- 3/4 View |
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| Before
- Side View |
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After
- Side View |
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| Click
here for more surgical examples. |
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| This technique
has been utilized in 21 patients in the past nine years. Complications
included: seroma in 1 patient, minor suture line breakdown in 1
patient. Patient satisfaction has been extremely high and the tradeoff
well accepted. SUMMARY:
Lower body lift provides an excellent alternative for a selected
group of patients whose aesthetic goals are: improvement of cellulite,
tighter lower body skin and balanced body contour. |
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