Limited abdominoplasty techniques applied to complete abdominal repair.

The techniques of umbilical stalk separation, closure of the umbilical site in the midline, and short upturned incision lines define the operation described as limited abdominoplasty. The operation has evolved over the past 17 years into a procedure which is applicable in the majority of patients who have suffered distortion of the entire abdominal wall, with panniculus formation and fatty deposition. The use of liposuction is an essential part of "limited" abdominoplasty and of "complete" abdominoplasty. To protect the flap, techniques once applied only in the lesser procedures are now used for patients requiring a repair of the abdominal wall from the xiphoid to the pubis. These techniques also include advancement of the incision line to the "French line" position for aesthetic reasons. A description of the technical maneuvers required as well as the objectives for correction of the deformity in patients of all abdominoplasty types is presented. Patient selection is no longer an absolute criterion for the type of abdominoplasty repair that is selected.