Comparing Body Contouring Surgery Outcomes Inpatient Versus Outpatient in an Appalachian Tristate Population

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Body contouring surgery is increasingly popular for aesthetic and functional improvements, particularly after significant weight loss.
• Limited research exists on the necessity of postoperative inpatient admission for body contouring procedures.
• This study addresses outcomes and readmission rates for outpatient vs. inpatient body contouring in an Appalachian population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of outpatient versus inpatient body contouring surgery on patient outcomes and readmission rates.
• To assess complications and reoperation rates in an Appalachian population undergoing body contouring procedures.
• To determine the safety and efficacy of outpatient body contouring surgery in a rural setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 370 patients (age ≥18) undergoing body contouring surgery from 2010-2023.
• Data collected included surgical procedure, admission status, and postoperative outcomes/complications within 90 days (infection, seroma, hematoma, wound separation, necrosis, VTE, mortality).
• Rates of unexpected reoperation within 1 year were also analyzed, with statistical analysis performed.

Main Results:

• Of 370 patients, 264 underwent outpatient and 90 underwent inpatient surgery.
• No statistically significant differences were observed in infection, seroma/hematoma, wound separation, incision necrosis, venous thromboembolism, or mortality between inpatient and outpatient groups.
• Outpatient breast reduction showed a significantly decreased risk of readmission (OR=0.0519, P=0.004), and outpatient bilateral breast augmentation had a decreased reoperation rate (OR=0.0417, P=0.0453).

Conclusions:

• Outpatient body contouring surgery is a safe and effective option for patients in rural Appalachia.
• Consideration of outpatient procedures is recommended whenever feasible for body contouring.
• Specific procedures like breast reduction and bilateral breast augmentation demonstrate favorable outcomes with outpatient management.