Abdominoplasty: The North American Experience

Abstract

In 1990, I began to consider ways to complete the xiphoid to pubis repair of the lax anterior abdominal wall, fascia, and muscle through a limited incision. The patient candidates for this type of procedure are those patients who do not require excision of extra skin, but who do need an effective repair of the muscle and fascia combined with perhaps liposuction of the anterior abdominal wall.¹ For this procedure to be acceptable, it must be a technique that can be learned and performed with a reasonable degree of success by the surgeon who can do the standard “open” abdominoplasty.² The degree of muscle and fascia repair must be at least as good as with the open technique. On the scar-free abdomen, incisions must be hidden as much as possible. If there are other scars on the abdomen one or more of the existing scars may be used for the endoscopic approach.³