Lipectomies and post-bariatric surgery
Do you want to improve the appearance of your body?
- Duration: 120 - 180 minutes.
- Type of anesthesia: General.
- Type of Admission: 1 or 2 nights in the hospital (included in the price).
- Recovery: Pain controllable with analgesia for the first 3 days. Return to work in 1-2 weeks depending on profession. Girdle for 2 months. Restricted physical exercise during the first month.
- Definitive result: 6 months in most cases.
What is lipectomy?
Lipectomy or post-bariatric plastic surgery (after massive weight loss through diet and exercise or bariatric surgery – Z98.84) consists of the reduction of excess skin and redundant fat due to massive tissue expansion and loss of elasticity.
The Nutrition and Obesity units will help you from the first moment to solve the problem of your obesity from a multidisciplinary perspective. We belong to the Obesity Unit of Clínica Sagrada Familia.
Indications
Redundant skin can be located in any area of the body such as the face and neck, breasts, arms, abdomen, back, buttocks and thighs. This excess tissue leads to a distortion of the body shape that worsens with age and can produce
The ideal time is at least 1 year after bariatric surgery or that the weight has remained stable in the last 4-6 months and there is no significant weight loss expected because the target weight range has been reached.
The number of lipectomies performed in our clinic in Barcelona has experienced a large increase in recent years due to the surgical treatment of obesity (bypass, gastric balloons) that causes a massive slimming and a significant excess of skin.
It is usual to perform one or more serial interventions spaced a minimum of 4 months apart depending on individual factors and the extent of the surgery.
There are two drawbacks that patients are concerned about: the resulting scars and having to undergo surgery more than once. Although the scars are placed in inconspicuous areas or easy to hide under clothing, they are usually long scars. It is the patient who must assess whether the result is worth it. If there is excess skin and fat in several areas it is usual to perform combined surgeries in 2-3 phases. There is no ideal combination, but between patient-surgeon is decided which are the best options that will depend on the time of year, what produces greater complexity or difficulty for daily life.
Treatments
The different procedures to be performed can be summarized as follows:
In cases where excess skin causes premature aging of the face and neck. The scar is hidden in front of and behind the ears.
With the removal of the fat and the skin that hangs and that has been called bat arms. The scar is hidden on the inner side of the arms and armpit.
In these cases the scar is usually designed as an inverted T-shaped scar. The use of prosthesis will depend on the amount of breast the patient has or the desired volume.
It consists of the removal of excess skin and fat from the pubis to the navel. Sometimes it is also necessary to repair the abdominal muscles and even the use of internal meshes to avoid hernias.
It consists of elevating the buttock and removing excess skin as well as the use of gluteal prostheses to increase projection.
Circular body lift
Abdominoplasty is combined with gluteoplasty, sometimes called belt lipectomy.
When the excess fat and skin affects the anterior and / or inner legs. The scar can be hidden in the groin crease, although if the excess is significant, a vertical scar on the inner thigh is sometimes necessary.
Preparation before surgery, strategies during surgery and postoperative care are part of a set of measures to maintain safety at all times. Talking about
Postoperative
Preparation before surgery, strategies during surgery and postoperative care are part of a set of measures to maintain safety at all times. Talking about
Opinions of our patients
Our specialist for this treatment
Dr. Guillermo Rodríguez
El Dr. Guillermo Rodríguez Márquez es especialista en Cirugía Plástica, Reparadora y Estética, con una destacada trayectoria internacional en España y el Reino Unido. Licenciado en Medicina por la Universitat de Barcelona, se formó en Cirugía Plástica en el Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Es Fellow del European Board of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery y posee un Máster en Dirección y Gestión Sanitaria.
Ha trabajado en hospitales de referencia como el University Hospital of Birmingham NHS y el Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust, especializándose en cirugía de la mano y miembro superior. En España, formó parte del Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, donde dirigió la Unidad de Cirugía Plástica Infantil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but they are extremely rare and are related to unsightly scarring, small asymmetries, infection. Smokers are prone to a greater number of complications and therefore it is recommended that they quit smoking about two weeks before surgery and continue to avoid smoking for another two weeks after surgery.
The cost of this type of surgery will depend on many factors, among which may be the amount of fat and skin to be reshaped, the surgery time, the surgeon’s experience, and the costs associated with admission to the clinic.
When weight loss occurs, the body can respond in several ways:
- If the skin is of good quality, the excess weight was not important and a healthy life is led, it is most likely that toning exercises and medical treatments such as radiofrequency used to strengthen collagen, will be enough to bring the skin back to its initial state.
- On the other hand, if the skin presents stretch marks, or is very thin and the weight loss has been massive, the only solution is lipectomy or post-bariatric surgery because the combination excess skin-flaccidity has no other remedy. This is a constant in those who have undergone bariatric surgery.
There are a number of criteria that must be met in order to undergo reconstructive surgery after massive weight loss following bariatric surgery:
- At least 1 year must have passed after bariatric surgery.
- Must have reached goal weight or weight attained is stable over the last 4-6 months.
- BMI should be less than 35.
- Must have adequate nutritional management with appropriate supplementation for vitamin B, iron and protein deficits.
- If you are an active smoker, have heart or circulation problems or have a restrictive lung disease, you should prepare beforehand and assess risks/benefits more strictly.
