Circular belt lipectomy: a retrospective follow-up study on perioperative complications and cosmetic outcome

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perioperative complications and cosmetic outcomes of circumferential belt lipectomy in patients with evident truncal excess. In 21 women, a circumferential belt lipectomy was performed between April 2002 and March 2004. The mean weight loss before surgery was 44 kg, and the mean body mass index before surgery was 28.1 (range, 22.3-36.5). Patients scored cosmetic results on a visual analog scale. The average reduction weight was 3616 g (2110-7525 g). The average duration of the operation was 132 minutes (range, 79-210 minutes). Patients were discharged from the hospital between postoperative days 6 and 10 (average, day 8). Minor complications occurred in 7 patients and major complications in one. Smoking was a statistically significant cause of postoperative complications. The majority of patients judged the cosmetic outcome as good to excellent (15 patients > or =8, 5 patients = 7, 1 patient =6). Patients with truncal skin and fat excess on both the ventral and dorsal side can obtain a good cosmetic result with a circular belt lipectomy.