Upper Arm Contouring with Brachioplasty after Massive Weight Loss.
10.5999/aps.2014.41.3.271
- Author:
Hyun Ho HAN
1
;
Min Cheol LEE
;
Sang Hwa KIM
;
Jung Ho LEE
;
Sang Tae AHN
;
Jong Won RHIE
Author Information
1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. rhie@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Surgery, plastic;
Upper extremity;
Weight loss
- MeSH:
Abdominoplasty;
Arm*;
Axilla;
Cicatrix, Hypertrophic;
Congenital Abnormalities;
Follow-Up Studies;
Hematoma;
Humans;
Korea;
Skin;
Surgery, Plastic;
Thorax;
Upper Extremity;
Weight Loss*;
Wounds and Injuries
- From:Archives of Plastic Surgery
2014;41(3):271-276
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: As the obese population increases in Korea, the number of patients who are trying to lose weight has been increasing steadily. In these patients, skin laxity and deformation of the body contour occurs, which could possibly be corrected by various body contouring surgeries. Here, we introduce the brachioplasty method and our experience of various body contouring surgeries performed in our center. METHODS: From November 2009 to August 2011, five cases of brachioplasty were performed. When the patient presented with sagging of the lateral inframammary crease and bat wing deformity in the axilla, extended brachioplasty was performed; in this case, the deformation of the axilla and lateral chest was corrected at the same time. A traditional brachioplasty was performed when contouring was needed only for skin laxity in the upper arm. RESULTS: Complications, such as hematomas or nerve injuries, were not evident. Some patients experienced partial wound dehiscence due to tension or hypertrophic scars found during the follow-up. In general, all of the patients were satisfied with the improvement in their upper arm contour. CONCLUSIONS: Given the demands for body contouring surgery, the number of brachioplasty surgical procedures is expected to increase significantly, with abdominoplasty comprising a large portion of these surgeries. For the brachioplasty procedure, preparation and preoperative consultation regarding design of the surgery by experienced surgeons was important to prevent complications such as nerve damage or hematoma formation.
