BACKGROUND: Surgical treatments for obesity in adolescents were introduced in the 1990s, resulting in individuals undergoing bariatric surgery, and exhibiting weight loss and dysmorphic body features. This produced a demand for plastic surgery in order to readjust the body contour. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with morbidity and mortality for these corrective body contouring plastic surgeries in patients who underwent bariatric surgery during adolescence. METHODS: Between January 2008 and January 2011, 5 adolescent patients underwent gastric bypass surgery, with a consequent loss and stabilization of weight, and then underwent plastic surgery for correcting body contours. The average age of the patients at the time of plastic surgery was 19.7 years; 3 (60%) patients were female. Abdominoplasty was performed in all patients (100%), crural dermolipectomy in 4 (80%) patients, brachial dermolipectomy in 2 (40%) patients, thoracoplasty in 2 (40%) patients, torsoplasty in 2 (40%) patients, and a reverse abdominoplasty in 1 (20%) patient. In addition, mammoplasty with inclusion of silicone implants was performed in 2 (40%) female patients, whereas the other female patient (20%) underwent mastopexy. A male patient (20%) underwent correction of gynecomastia. An average of 3 surgical interventions were performed on each patient (range, 2 - 5), and the number of surgical sites was 20. RESULTS: Dehiscence occurred in 3 (15% of the surgical sites) cases, and it was necessary to revise the resection because of residual skin laxity in 3 (15% of the surgical sites) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Some factors associated with body contouring plastic surgeries in adolescents were identified and compared with the literature data.
Adolescent; Plastic surgery; Bariatric surgery; Obesity; Morbid obesity; Skinfold thickness
