Abdominoplasty

A smooth flat tummy is most people’s perception of an attractive youthful body. Unfortunately, the abdomen is one of the first places where weight gain becomes apparent. In women, particularly due to pregnancies or previous surgery, this can frequently be associated with relaxation of the abdominal wall muscles and leave excess skin. Abdominoplasty or a ‘tummy tuck’ is a range of procedures designed to remove skin and fat and tighten a sagging abdominal wall.

If the problem is excess fat then liposuction alone may suffice. If there is excess skin and fat confined to below the button, then a mini-abdominoplasty may be suitable and can be performed as a day stay procedure.

The standard or ‘full’ abdominoplasty tightens the abdominal skin and muscles and requires general anaesthesia with overnight hospital stay. The resulting scar is hidden but quite long, running from hip to hip and is about 3 times as long as a caesarean scar. Recovery can be uncomfortable for a few days. It will take about 2-3 weeks to return to light duties and about 4-6 weeks to normal strenuous activities.

Summary

Fat Transfer

Using fat to improve appearance has been available for many years, but one of the problems encountered had been variability of the outcome. However, recent advances have led to much more reliable results. The fat restores volume and youthful shape of the face and other parts of the body, and helps to improve the quality of the skin.

Mr Rayatt uses this technique on patients for both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. Fat transfer can be performed either under a general anaesthetic or local anaesthetic, depending on the amount needed. The fat is removed from a part of the body where it will not be missed, usually tummy or thighs, in a manner similar to liposuction but in a much gentler manner so as not to damage the cells. It is then concentrated using a centrifuge and injected carefully back into the areas to be treated using fine blunt cannulae. Smaller areas can be treated in one session but larger amounts may take 2-3 sessions, about 3 months apart. Most common use is on the face, but excellent results can also be seen in other areas such as breast, buttocks, for scars and on the back of the hands.

Summary

Liposuction

Liposuction is a procedure that permanently removes fat from the body using fine tubes and suction. However It is not a substitute for weight loss and healthy eating. It is a method of removing stubborn areas of fat that are resistant to exercise and tend to accumulate with age. These areas are the flanks, lower abdomen and thighs in women and abdomen and flanks and chest in men. It is also a useful technique to change the contours of your body in areas such as under the chin, waist, hips and thighs.

Smaller areas can be treated under sedation, however larger areas will require a day case general anaesthetic. A tumescent technique is used, involving injecting the areas to be treated with fluid containing local anaesthetic and adrenalin. Small puncture wounds are made in the skin to allow insertion of the fine suction tubes to remove the fat. Dressings or a compression garment has to be worn after the surgery. The pressure garments should be worn for about 4 weeks. Initial discomfort is controlled by oral painkillers and swelling subsides in 2-4 weeks.

Summary