Body contouring procedures in three or more anatomical areas are associated with long-term body mass index decrease...

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Bariatric Surgery
• Weight Management

Background:

• Massive weight loss (MWL) patients often seek body contouring plastic surgery (BCPS) for improved long-term weight maintenance.
• The impact of the number of anatomical areas treated during BCPS on subsequent weight dynamics remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) dynamics after BCPS and the number of anatomical areas operated on.
• To identify factors influencing BMI changes following body contouring procedures in MWL patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study analyzing 222 patients who underwent 513 BCPS procedures between 2009 and 2014.
• Patients were grouped by the number of anatomical areas contoured (1, 2, or 3+).
• BMI velocity (change in BMI over time) was calculated and analyzed using multinomial logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Patients undergoing BCPS in three or more areas (Group 3+) showed a negative mean BMI velocity (-0.11 ± 1.0), indicating weight loss, unlike Groups 1 and 2.
• Single-area BCPS was a risk factor for positive BMI velocity (weight gain) compared to three or more areas (OR=3.37, p=0.017).
• Psychiatric medication use was also linked to positive BMI velocity (OR=6.73, p=0.034), while diabetes mellitus was a protective factor (OR=0.094, p=0.049).

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive BCPS involving three or more anatomical areas is associated with sustained long-term weight loss in MWL patients.
• Clinicians and policymakers should consider recommending multi-area BCPS as part of a strategy to maintain healthy BMI and improve quality of life for MWL patients.