Resolution of back pain with the wide abdominal rectus plication abdominoplasty.

Back pain is classified most easily into three types (1) muscle spasm, (2) herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP), and (3) facet syndrome and/or nerve compression. It is possible the wide abdominal rectus plication procedure will be beneficial to all three groups, but currently I limit the procedure to those back pain patients who are improved with a back brace or corset and those without back pain undergoing elective abdominoplasty. Contraindications would be (1) anticipating additional pregnancy, (2) back pain not relieved or improved by corset or brace, (3) severe or progressive disk signs, and (4) bladder and/or bowel dysfunction. Further detailed studies of the mechanism of action and of the biomechanical effect as evaluated by conventional radiology, CAT scan, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, as well as physical measurement, are in progress and will be forthcoming.