Thigh lift surgery is a procedure highly sought after from those who have lost a significant amount of weight. The surgery removes redundant skin making a patient’s thighs firmer and shapely.
Also called a medial thigh lift surgery, this procedure is under the body contouring surgical umbrella. A study recently revealed while some complications do exist, they are minor.
The research was performed by ASPS member surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Adam Gusenoff and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh. Their findings were published in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®. This publication is the official medical journal of the (ASPS), also known as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The beginning of the report stated, “Wound complications in medial thighplasty are common, but most are minor and can be managed without reoperation.”
The study included 106 patients who underwent a medial thigh lift. From these patients, 90 were female and the remainder patients were male. Their median age was 45. The report indicated that these post-bariatric surgery patients had saggy and excess skin.
“Overall, 68 percent of patients experienced some type of complication after thigh lift surgery. The complication rate varied with the extensiveness of surgery: from 43 percent for patients undergoing the least-extensive ‘horizontal thighplasty,’ to 64 percent with an intermediate ‘short-scar thighplasty,’ to 74 percent with the most-extensive ‘full-length vertical thighplasty,’”
the authors wrote. They continued, “But while complications were frequent, they usually weren’t serious. The most common issues were minor wound healing problems: problems with wound closure (dehiscence) and fluid collections (seromas). Most of these were managed without any further surgery.”
It was estimated that in this study only 6 percent of these patients required another surgery. Additionally, more than 10 percent of patients elected to have additional surgery to enhance their aesthetic goals.
Body Contouring After Weight Loss Surgery is a popular procedure given the fact that medical science has introduced a variety of procedures to help individuals lose excess weight of 100 pounds or more. For many, this surgery is indeed the last part of their weight loss journey. With that said, many have done their research along with taking part in online forums for support, encouragement and education.
The report also clearly points out, “With the increased use of bariatric surgery, the numbers of patients seeking body contouring surgery after massive weight loss have increased sharply.”
When consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon, one will not only receive a better understanding of the surgery but will also be more informed of any possible side-effects. Every surgery has its own set of risks. With that said, when a patient follows their postoperative guidelines, such risks may be minimized.
“Despite these considerable challenges, massive weight loss patients also stand to benefit immensely from contouring procedures,” Dr. Gusenoff and colleagues conclude.
Nevertheless, this report was outstanding in terms of the research and indicating while complications may be present, they are minor.
