Gender difference in requesting abdominoplasty, after bariatric surgery: Based on five years of experience in two centers in Sulaimani Governorate, Kurdistan Region/Iraq

TULUA Male High-Definition Abdominoplasty

BACKGROUND

Abdominoplasty is a surgical technique for body contouring that has been shown to improve the patient's quality of life. It has become more common among male patients, so clear differences between procedures for men and women have to be stated. The authors present their experience with high-definition lipoabdominoplasty with transverse plication in men.

METHODS

Records of male patients undergoing transverse plication full abdominoplasty in addition to high-definition liposculpture were analyzed. A total of 24 consecutive cases were found between January of 2017 and June of 2019. Patient ages ranged from 24 to 60 years. Patients aged 18 years or younger were excluded. Body mass index ranged from 25 to 33 kg/m2. Photographic records were taken before and during follow-up at 2 days and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

RESULTS

Male TULUA (transverse plication, no undermining, full liposuction, neoumbilicoplasty, and low transverse abdominal scar) with high-definition lipoabdominoplasty was successfully achieved in 24 cases. No major complications were reported. Six minor complications were reported (25 percent). Rectus abdominis diastases are less common in men compared to women, as pregnancy is the most determining factor in its development. Fat distribution is also a key difference when performing lipoabdominoplasty for the male or the female patient. The authors recommend a transverse plication of the abdominal wall, instead of a vertical one, as flap viability is preserved and enhanced muscular definition can be accomplished.

CONCLUSIONS

Combining transverse plication with high-definition lipoabdominoplasty (transverse plication, no undermining, full liposuction, neoumbilicoplasty, and low transverse abdominal scar plus high-definition lipoabdominoplasty) is a safe and reproducible technique for the male patient. It offers higher aesthetic results in line with modern beauty ideals.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, IV.

Review: Sex-Specific Aspects in the Bariatric Treatment of Severely Obese Women

This systematic literature review aims to point out sex-specific special features that are important in the bariatric treatment of women suffering from severe obesity. A systematic literature search was carried out according to Cochrane and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. After the literature selection, the following categories were determined: sexuality and sexual function; contraception; fertility; sex hormones and polycystic ovary syndrome; menopause and osteoporosis; pregnancy and breastfeeding; pelvic floor disorders and urinary incontinence; female-specific cancer; and metabolism, outcome, and quality of life. For each category, the current status of research is illuminated and implications for bariatric treatment are determined. A summary that includes key messages is given for each subsection. An overall result of this paper is an understanding that sex-specific risks that follow or result from bariatric surgery should be considered more in aftercare. In order to increase the evidence, further research focusing on sex-specific differences in the outcome of bariatric surgery and promising treatment approaches to female-specific diseases is needed. Nevertheless, bariatric surgery shows good potential in the treatment of sex-specific aspects for severely obese women that goes far beyond mere weight loss and reduction of metabolic risks.