Body Contouring Surgery Risk Rises with Increased Body Mass Index

Study reveals close correlation between degree of obesity and complications
arising from popular aesthetic surgical procedure

NEW YORK, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A recent study investigating the
relationship between complications of body contouring surgery and body mass
index has confirmed an increase in the occurrence of such complications with
worsening degree of obesity. Findings from the study are published in the
July/August 2008 issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the peer-reviewed
publication of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

In order to determine the degree of risk associated with obesity when
undergoing body contouring surgery, a retrospective review was conducted of
129 patients who underwent a single body contouring procedure from 1993 and
2002. Patients were categorized based on their body mass index (BMI),
clinical degree of being overweight, into groups including ideal (BMI <25),
overweight (BMI 25-30), obese (BMI 31-35), morbidly obese (BMI 36-40), and
severely morbidly obese (BMI >41). Complications were recorded into minor and
major categories: minor complications included postoperative wound infection,
or pockets of fluid (seroma) or blood (hematoma) in or around the wound; major
complications included any wound requiring dressing changes, need for hospital
readmission or prolonged admission, need for re-operation, or death.

Of the total number of patients, three of the ideal group experienced either
minor or major complications, as compared to six in the overweight group; 10
in the obese group; eight in the morbidly obese group; and 22 in the severely
morbidly obese group.

A statistically significant association was found between increasing BMI and
an increased number of complications and poorer outcomes. Specifically, the
percentage of complication increased as weight category increased. Minor
complications increased from 3.3% in the ideal weight group to 46.9% in the
severely morbidly obese group; major complications increased from 6.6% in the
ideal weight group to 43.7% in the severely morbidly obese group.

An increasing number of patients are seeking out body contouring procedures
such as thigh, buttock or upper arm lifts. According to ASAPS statistics,
368,313 body contouring procedures were performed in 2007.

"Because of rising demand for body contouring procedures, it is increasingly
important for plastic surgeons to be cognizant of potential predictors of poor
outcomes and/or complications that can arise as a result," said Donald Mackay,
MD, a board certified plastic surgeon at Penn States' College of Medicine in
Hershey, PA, and senior author of the study. "Obesity is a significant risk
factor when considering operative procedures, particularly due to secondary
conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular
disease, and poor healing, that generally accompany it."

Very few studies have looked at complication occurrence and its relationship
with increasing body mass index.

"These findings lay the groundwork for establishing evidence based medicine
guidelines to better assist us in evaluating patients for potential risk when
considering these increasingly popular procedures, and in weighing those risks
against the potential benefits in our varied patients," said Alan H. Gold, MD,
President of ASAPS. "It is our responsibility as plastic surgeons to do
everything possible to ensure the best and safest results for our patients."

About ASJ
The Aesthetic Surgery Journal is the peer-reviewed publication of the American
Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and is the most widely read
clinical journal in the field of cosmetic surgery, with subscribers in more
than 60 countries.

About ASAPS
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the leading organization
of board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in cosmetic plastic surgery.
ASAPS active-member plastic surgeons are certified by the American Board of
Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
www.surgery.org

SOURCE American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Adeena Babbitt of American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery,
+1-212-921-0500, media@surgery.org