Experience with Lipoabdominoplasty in a cosmetic surgery center in southern Nigeria

Background and objectives: The combination of liposuction and abdominoplasty for aesthetic sculpting of the trunk is gaining popularity in recent times. Some plastic surgeons however, have concerns about this approach mostly for fear of increased complication profile with combination of the procedures. This review aims to report our experience with lipoabdominoplasty. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent lipoabdominoplasty between January 2019 and January 2022 was conducted. Information on age, Body Mass Index (BMI), surgery duration and post operative complications were retrieved and analyzed. Results: In the period under review, a total of the sixty one (61) lipoabdominoplasties were performed in the center. All of the patients were females. Age range was 24 to 52 years with a mean age of 37.7 years. The body mass indices of the patients ranged from 20.5 to 36 kg/m2, with mean body mass index of 29.5kg/m2. Surgery duration varied from 2.5 to 4.5 hours, with mean surgery duration of 3.6 hours. We recorded a total of 5 complications. One patient (1.6%) had a hematoma, three patients (4.9%) had partial wound dehiscence, and one patient had a small area of superficial epidermiolysis of the skin (1.6%). There were no cases of skin necrosis and deep vein thrombosis. All complications were minor and healed with conservative management. Conclusions: In the authors’ experience, lipoabdominoplasty can be carried out for most patients for whom standard abdominoplasty is indicated with better aesthetic outcome and reduced complication rates.