Increased outpatient procedures, liposuction, and heparin use

Abdominoplasty continues to be a secure and efficient process, with extra instances carried out on an outpatient foundation and elevated use of concomitant liposuction, in response to a brand new 16-year evaluation within the January difficulty of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery^®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The journal is revealed within the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Taking benefit of quality-improvement information submitted by US Board-certified plastic surgeons, our research gives new perception on the evolution of the abdominoplasty approach.”

Michael J. Stein, MD, MAS, FRCSC, FACS, lead creator of Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, N.Y.

Shifts in ‘tummy tuck’ methods and outcomes from 2005 to 2021

Abdominoplasty – typically referred to as “tummy tuck” – is a beauty surgical process to enhance the looks of the stomach. In 2022, ASPS Member Surgeons carried out almost 162,000 abdominoplasty procedures, in response to ASPS statistics.

To assess the evolution of apply patterns and surgical methods, Dr. Stein and colleagues analyzed information from the Continuous Certification technique of the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). In that course of, plastic surgeons submit info on particular “tracer procedures” as proof of ongoing enchancment in medical apply.

The researchers analyzed information on 8,990 abdominoplasty instances submitted by 390 ABPS-certified plastic surgeons between 2005 and 2021. To assess tendencies over time, instances have been divided into early (2005-14) and up to date (2015-21) cohorts.

The research interval noticed an elevated charge of outpatient abdominoplasty, with out an in a single day hospital keep, from 77% to 81%; and elevated use of heparin to stop blood clot-related problems. Patients handled in more moderen years have been extra prone to endure a number of surgical procedures, notably liposuction to scale back fats within the stomach tissue flap.

‘Abdominoplasty stays a secure and dependable process’

Other technical adjustments included decreased use of extensive tissue undermining, vertical plication of the stomach, and postoperative of surgical drains – though all these methods continued for use in most abdominoplasty instances. The researchers notice that whereas the noticed adjustments are statistically important, they’re “greatest appreciated as constructive or adverse apply tendencies between cohorts, relatively than clinically important adjustments in apply.”

“Abdominoplasty stays a secure and dependable process over the research interval, with a slight however statistically important lower in antagonistic occasions within the current cohort,” Dr. Stein and coauthors conclude. “Careful pre-operative analysis of sufferers ought to establish threat components that enhance the danger of problems.”

Senior creator and previous ASPS President Dr. Alan Matarasso of Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital has contributed to related opinions utilizing ABPS Continuous Certification information for different “tracer” procedures – most just lately together with a report on tendencies in beauty breast augmentation. Fellow authors embody Drs. Arun Gosain and Peter Rubin.

Dr. Matarasso feedback: “While not with out potential sources of bias, the usage of ABPS Continuous Certification information – with necessary reporting of huge numbers of widespread procedures by Board-certified plastic surgeons – gives distinctive insights into tendencies in surgical apply and benchmarks to tell additional security and high quality enchancment efforts.”