Complications Associated With Medial Thigh Lift: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Medial contouring of the thigh is frequently requested to improve appearance and function of medial thigh deformities, following massive weight loss or aging process. This surgical procedure can be associated with a significant rate of complications. Our aim was to consider the complications and outcomes according to the performed technique, through a wide and comprehensive review of the literature. A search on PubMed/Medline was performed using "medial thighplasty", "medial thigh lifting" and "technique" as key words. As inclusion criteria, we selected the clinical studies describing techniques of medial thighplasty. We excluded the papers in which complications related to medial thighplasty were not specified. We also excluded literature-review articles. We found 16 studies from 1988 to 2015. Overall, 447 patients were treated. Different techniques were applied. Complications were observed in 191/447 patients (42.72%). The most frequent complications were wound dehiscence(18.34%) and seroma (8.05%). No major complications, such as thromboembolism and sepsis, were observed. Minor complications occurred in a high percent of patients, regardless of the performed surgical procedure. Patients should be informed about the possible occurrence of wound dehiscence and seroma, as common complications associated with this surgical procedure.