Scarpa fascia preservation abdominoplasty combined with precise liposuction for postpregnancy abdomen: A 10-year experience.

[BACKGROUND] Abdominoplasty is widely performed in plastic surgery. Currently, there is a high demand for abdominoplasty among women who experience abdominal wall laxity after pregnancy. The aim of this study was to present modified abdominoplasty combined with power-assisted liposuction and ultrasound-assisted liposuction for postpregnancy women with abdominal wall laxity.

[METHODS] This retrospective study included a total of 190 cases of postpartum women presenting with abdominal wall laxity from January 2015 to April 2023. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the abdominoplasty and abdominoplasty combined with precise liposuction groups. The age, body mass index, reproductive history, abdominal circumference, surgical strategy, surgical details, and complications were considered during evaluation. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using a questionnaire that incorporated the visual analog scale (VAS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

[RESULTS] The average postoperative follow-up period in this study group was 10.1 months. The abdominoplasty combined with precise liposuction group exhibited significantly reduced upper and lower abdominal circumferences compared to the abdominoplasty group (P<0.05). The postoperative VAS score of the combined group was significantly higher than that of the abdominoplasty group (P<0.05), while the postoperative BDI score of the combined group was significantly lower compared to that of the abdominoplasty group (P<0.05). The BDI results revealed a significant reduction in the prevalence of moderate depression among post-surgery patients, declining from 94.2% to 3.6%.

[CONCLUSIONS] Scarpa fascia preservation abdominoplasty combined with precise liposuction is a suitable procedure for postpregnancy abdomen. The modified abdominoplasty demonstrates favorable therapeutic outcomes, optimal flap blood supply, minimal flap tension, inconspicuous postoperative scar, and meticulous body contouring.