Confirming the results of a study on thigh lifts, Plastic Surgery Center of the South, based in Marietta, GA, uses liposuction to reduce complications.
Marietta, Georgia (June 2016) — The doctors at Plastic Surgery Center of the South in Marietta, Georgia, say that a new study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons®, confirms their recommended practice of adding liposuction to thigh lift surgery as the safest technique.
Thigh lift is a body contouring procedure that is often performed on patients who have lost a significant amount of weight and are left with sagging skin — a common occurrence after bariatric surgery.
The June study revealed that patients who undergo liposuction at the same time as thigh lift surgery experience significantly better outcomes, including less time spent in the hospital, fewer follow-up visits, and fewer incidences of complications.
“This comes as a pleasant surprise, but it simply reaffirms the validity of our surgical plan for many patients,” says Dr. Michael Petrosky, one of Plastic Surgery Center of the South’s 4 staff physicians. “We’ve known for quite some time that adding liposuction to thigh lift surgery helps to refine and improve visual results. That it’s also a safer approach is very exciting for both my colleagues and our patients.”
Any sort of significant weight loss, whether it’s the product of bariatric surgery or lifestyle changes, can leave behind isolated pockets of fat that can be aesthetically frustrating to patients.
“Adding liposuction to other body contouring procedures, such as thigh lift, is a fairly common practice,” says Dr. E. Anthony Musarra II. “Performing both at the same time allows us to resolve residual fat and loose hanging skin at once, both of which are significant issues affecting weight-loss patients.”
The study followed 59 thigh lift patients between 2008 and 2014. Of the patients, 29 underwent only thigh lift. The remaining 30 underwent combined thigh lift and liposuction. Eight patients from the thigh lift-only group dealt with postoperative infection, while only 1 patient from the combined group experienced this complication. Additionally, patients who underwent a combined procedure experienced fewer days with a surgical drain, a medical device that removes fluid buildup during the healing process. Patients from the combined group needed drains for an average of 1.8 days, versus 4.1 days for the thigh lift-only group.
“I’m already sharing the statistics with my patients,” says Dr. Corey Harkins, another surgeon at the practice. “We already knew that liposuction was a safe and effective complement to body contouring, but now we have the numbers to prove it.”
Together, the 4 surgeons at the practice have perfomed hundreds of liposuction and body contouring procedures. To learn more about safely refining your own curves and contours, request a consultation at Plastic Surgery Center of the South online, or call the office at (770) 421-1242.
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