Safety of Outpatient Circumferential Body Lift: Evidence from 42 Consecutive Cases.

BACKGROUND: Circumferential lower body lifts have become more prevalent with the rise of massive weight loss surgery. This has historically required inpatient admission. Only three previous groups have published their experience with outpatient lower body lifts.

METHODS: The authors reviewed their experience with 42 consecutive outpatient circumferential body lifts from 2010 to 2016, and report patient demographics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes. Several variables are evaluated for statistical associations with complications and revisions. In addition, the three largest published accounts of inpatient lower body lifts are summarized and presented for comparison, with the data from this group pooled with the three previously published accounts of outpatient circumferential lower body lifts.

RESULTS: Forty-two consecutive circumferential lower body lifts were performed with and without a diverse array of other procedures. Average follow-up was 10.4 months. No patients required hospitalization. A complication rate of 36 percent and a revision rate of 26 percent were similar to those for inpatient groups. As with inpatient cohorts, the vast majority of complications were related to minor incisional separations. No statistical association was made between complications or revisions and the presence of (1) multiple surgeons, (2) fleur-de-lis modification, (3) concurrent cosmetic procedures, (4) liposuction, or (5) body mass index greater than 25 kg/m. An association was identified between venous thromboembolic events and admission for circumferential body lift.

CONCLUSIONS: The authors report the third largest, and fourth ever, published account of circumferential lower body lift in the English language literature. Based on these data, it safe to offer outpatient lower body lifts to appropriately chosen patients.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.