Abdominoplasty Candidate Profile Mountain View

It is necessary to classify and describe common cosmetic abdominal problems exactly in order to decide what abdominoplasty operation subtype is needed. Here are the classifications and descriptions:

Endoscopically-assisted Abdominoplasty

When bulging of the lower abdomen only as a result of simply getting gradually older or having one or more children, causing the muscle fascia covering the lower and lateral abdominal wall muscles to stretch out. If the only other problem besides the bulge is some extra fat, then endoscopically- assisted abdominoplasty can be done. This can be supplemented with liposuction.

The advantages to this procedure is that it is a minimally invasive incisions and has a faster recovery. This procedure can also require expertise with endoscopic techniques and special instrumentation, and is technically more demanding on the surgeon than making a larger incision for access. Additionally, if in the desire to avoid longer incisions the tummy tuck operation is performed on a woman with too much skin laxity, the patient may be disappointed in their results. In order to get the maximum flatness and tightness of skin, excess skin must be removed, and a longer incision is necessary.

Mini Abdominoplasty

Mini Tummy Tucks are required when the patient has mild to moderate bulging that is accompanied by mild to moderate skin excess, with or without fat excess, but in the lower abdomen only. means a limited incision, usually not more than halfway up the lateral aspect of the abdomen. If you put both hands on the front of your abdomen you will feel two points of bone, your pelvic bone, at the level of the umbilicus, but laterally, in line with your thighs. This is the point to which most incision lead. This point is called the AS IS, the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine.

In a mini-abdominoplasty, the incision is ideally limited to 1/2 to 2/3 the way from the pubis to the ASIS. The full-thickness of abdominal skin and fat is elevated off of the fascia up to the umbilicus, the fascia is placated, and the excess skin pulled down, measured, and removed.

A High-Lateral Tension Abdominoplasty

A high-lateral tension abdominoplasty is needed when patients have moderate to extensive bulging of the abdominal wall above and below the umbilicus is accompanied by excess skin, usually overhanging the pubis, with or without excess fat. It involves reevaluating the full-thickness flap up to the umbilicus to address these concerns.

Extensive Abdominoplasty

A patient needs an extended or extensive abdominoplasty if their excess lax or overhanging skin most likely caused by massive weight loss. The procedure is more extensive and extends all around the waist. Depending on the extent, the incision for the contouring procedure must extend part or all the way around the waist. In an extended or extensive abdominoplasty the incision extends up and around the waist to some extent, usually well past the ASIS.

Sometimes a debulking procedure is performed, and refinement is not attempted. Undermining is limited and the main goal is simply to remove a massive, overhanging abdominal fat flap. These are hospital procedures and post-operative care in a professional facility is needed.

Circumferential Body Lift

When there is great skin laxity, such as after massive weight loss, it is usually necessary to do a circumferential body lift. This is usually performed in stages, since it is so time consuming. It involves an abdominoplasty, and extending the incision around the waist until the incision meets in the back at the midline. The laxity of the buttocks and thighs is corrected by this procedure, and the abdominoplasty part of the procedure corrects the abdomen. Sometimes the medial thighs are also lifted by an incision in the groin crease. This is often done separately, but can be done in combination with an abdominoplasty.

The problem of skin laxity is not limited to people with massive weight loss. Many women are disappointed by the results of liposuction of their hips or thighs, not realizing that unless the skin is pulled up, it will not look smooth and tight. Simple removal of fat in this area corrects part of the problem, but residual bulges are caused by lax, hanging skin. If the problem is significant enough, it may be worth the tradeoff to accept incision scars that go up and around the waist. If you are wondering if you would benefit from this type of circumferential body lift, hold the skin of your lateral buttock firmly and pull up, while you observe the effect directly and in a mirror. If this maneuver restores the desired contour, you may be a candidate for a lateral thigh lift or circumferential-type of body lift. If the problem is mostly fat, then liposuction should be sufficient.