📄 Abstract
Introduction: massive weight loss, achieved through bariatric surgery or conservative treatments, has led to a growing number of patients presenting with residual abdominal skin excess. This condition may result in functional limitations, hygiene difficulties, recurrent dermatological complications, and psychosocial impairment, significantly affecting quality of life. In this context, abdominal dermolipectomy has become one of the primary surgical options for managing excess skin and restoring body contour. Objective: to analyze the current scientific evidence regarding the role of abdominal dermolipectomy in patients following massive weight loss, addressing its indications, preoperative assessment, surgical techniques, complications, functional and aesthetic outcomes, and impact on quality of life. Methodology: a narrative literature review was conducted using publications retrieved from PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library. A total of 40 articles, including original studies, systematic reviews, narrative reviews, and case reports, were analyzed. After assessing scientific relevance and alignment with the objectives of the study, 28 references were selected for inclusion. Search terms used in English, Spanish, and Portuguese included: abdominal dermolipectomy, abdominoplasty, body contouring, massive weight loss, post-bariatric surgery, panniculectomy, dermolipectomía abdominal, abdominoplastia, and abdominoplastia pós-bariátrica. Results: the reviewed literature demonstrates that abdominal dermolipectomy provides significant benefits for patients following massive weight loss, including improved mobility, personal hygiene, reduction of recurrent dermatitis and skin infections, as well as substantial improvements in body image and quality of life. The most commonly employed techniques include conventional abdominoplasty, Fleur-de-Lis abdominoplasty, and circumferential dermolipectomy (lower body lift). Although the most frequent complications are seroma formation, wound dehiscence, and surgical site infection, appropriate patient selection and preoperative optimization significantly reduce these risks. Conclusions: abdominal dermolipectomy represents a fundamental therapeutic intervention in the comprehensive management of patients following massive weight loss. Beyond its aesthetic benefits, the procedure provides important functional and psychological improvements that help consolidate the outcomes achieved through weight reduction. Multidisciplinary evaluation, weight stabilization, and correction of nutritional deficiencies are essential factors for optimizing surgical outcomes and minimizing postoperative complications.
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📚 How to Cite:
Jonathan Eduardo Ordoñez Avila, Julián Mauricio Contreras Ríos, Regiane Vita Maximiniano, Bryam Esteban Coello García , POST-BARIATRIC ABDOMINAL DERMOLIPECTOMY: INDICATIONS, SURGICAL TECHNIQUES, COMPLICATIONS, AND OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS FOLLOWING MASSIVE WEIGHT LOSS , Volume 12 , Issue 6, June 2026, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) , Pages: 491 - 497 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra28471