Single-stage abdominoplasty and mastopexy after weight loss following gastric banding.

BACKGROUND

With the increasing number of massively obese patients who undergo the implant of a gastric band, there is also a growing demand for a plastic-reconstructive operation of the overstretched skin, now lax after the enormous weight reduction.

METHODS

From May 2000 to March 2002, 12 abdominoplasties and 12 mastopexies were performed in patients with an average age of 37.3 years (range 33-44 years) as single-stage procedures after an average weight-loss of 67 kg (range 43-111 kg) after gastric banding. A follow-up examination of all patients was carried out an average of 8.4 months (range 1-23 months) after the operation, to review the duration of hospital stay and assess the period of work disablement as well as the patients' satisfaction, which was judged on a scale from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied), based on a written questionnaire.

RESULTS

The average duration of hospital stay was 7.4 days. There were 5 complications that healed under conservative management. 8 patients suffered an average work disability of 5.4 weeks. 4 patients who were housewives suffered no impairments that affected their ability to carry on with their household duties. The patients' postoperative satisfaction in regard to psyche, appearance, self-confidence and vitality was strongly improved in each case.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to multi-stage procedures, single-stage operations resulted in a reduced duration of hospital stay by 4.1 days and thus in diminished medical costs and in a reduction of work disablement by 3.5 weeks. Patients who underwent single-stage operations were postoperatively more satisfied than those with multi-stage operations.