• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.352-359
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• 2016

Background The objective of this study was to develop a new surgical technique by combining traditional abdominoplasty with liposuction. This combination of operations permits simpler and more accurate management of various abdominal deformities. In lipoabdominoplasty, the combination of techniques is of paramount concern. Herein, we introduce a new combination of liposuction and abdominoplasty using deep-plane flap sliding to maximize the benefits of both techniques. Methods Deep-plane lipoabdominoplasty was performed in 143 patients between January 2007 and May 2014. We applied extensive liposuction on the entire abdomen followed by a sliding flap through the deep plane after repairing the diastasis recti. The abdominal wound closure was completed with repair of Scarpa's fascia. Results The average amount of liposuction aspirate was 1,400 mL (700-3,100 mL), and the size of the average excised skin ellipse was $21.78{\times}12.81cm$ (from $15{\times}10$ to $25{\times}15cm$). There were no major complications such as deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. We encountered 22 cases of minor complications: one wound infection, one case of skin necrosis, two cases of undercorrection, nine hypertrophic scars, and nine seromas. These complications were solved by conservative management or simple revision. Conclusions The use of deep-plane lipoabdominoplasty can correct abdominal deformities more effectively and with fewer complications than traditional abdominoplasty.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2013

Background If a chronically infected abdominal wound develops, complications such as peritonitis and an abdominal wall defect could occur. This could prolong the patient's hospital stay and increase the possibility of re-operation or another infection as well. For this reason, a solution for infection control is necessary. In this study, surgery using a rectus abdominis muscle myofascial splitting flap was performed on an abdominal wall defect. Methods From 2009 to 2012, 5 patients who underwent surgery due to ovarian rupture, cesarean section, or uterine myoma were chosen. In each case, during the first week after operation, the wound showed signs of infection. Surgery was chosen because the wounds did not resolve with dressing. Debridement was performed along the previous operation wound and dissection of the skin was performed to separate the skin and subcutaneous tissue from the attenuated rectus muscle and Scarpa's fascial layers. Once the anterior rectus sheath and muscle were adequately mobilized, the fascia and muscle flap were advanced medially so that the skin defect could be covered for reconstruction. Results Upon 3-week follow-up after a rectus abdominis myofascial splitting flap operation, no major complication occurred. In addition, all of the patients showed satisfaction in terms of function and esthetics at 3 to 6 months post-surgery. Conclusions Using a rectus abdominis myofascial splitting flap has many esthetic and functional benefits over previous methods of abdominal defect treatment, and notably, it enabled infection control by reconstruction using muscle.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2013

Purpose: The open abdomen is now the standard of care in various clinical situations, especially it is used to treat abdominal compartment syndrome. Many techniques have been reported for closure after an open abdomen, but most take a long time for complete definitive closure and are associated with various problems. We describe a technique using biologic mesh that can achieve early definitive closure after an open abdomen. Methods: A 45-year-old man presented to the emergency room with a painful hip and painful lower extremities after a fall from 80 feet. Radiologic examination revealed multiple fractures of the pelvis and low extremities. Abdominal compartment syndrome caused by a retroperitoneal hematoma developed during the orthopedic surgery. We performed exploration immediately and closed abdomen temporarily. A peritoneal graft of porcine dermal collagen with anterior myofascial approximation of the rectus abdominis muscles and sliding skin flap was performed three days after the previous surgery. Results: There were no complications related to the wound. The patient was transferred to the Department of Orthopedic Surgery seven days after the initial surgery. Conclusion: Early definitive closure using porcine dermal collagen is a feasible method that can reduce the length of hospitalization and the number of operations for an open abdomen.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.375-378
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• 2018

In this report, we present a case of successful treatment of a bowel fistula in the open abdomen by perforator flaps and an aponeurosis plug. A 70-year-old man underwent total gastrectomy and developed anastomotic leakage and dehiscence of the abdominal wound a week later. He was dependent upon extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, continuous hemodiafiltration, and a respirator. Bowel fluids contaminated the open abdomen. Two months after the gastric operation, a plastic surgery team, in consultation with general surgeons, performed perforator flaps on both sides and constructed, as it were, a bridge of skin sealing the orifice of the fistula. The aponeurosis of the external oblique muscle was elevated with the flap to be used as a plug. The perforators of the flaps were identified on preoperative and intraoperative ultrasonography. This modality allowed us to locate the perforators precisely and to evaluate the perforators by assessing their diameters and performing a waveform analysis. The contamination decreased dramatically afterwards. The bare areas were gradually covered by skin grafts. The fistula was closed completely 18 days after the perforator flap. An ultrasound-guided perforator flap with an aponeurosis plug can be an option for patients suffering from an open abdomen with a bowel fistula.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.551-555
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• 2012

Endometriosis is defined as the presence of functioning endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, and the standard treatment is extensive surgical excision. Cesarean scar endometriosis is a type of cutaneous endometriosis arising on or near a Cesarean section scar. A 44-year-old woman presented with a $9{\times}6$ cm sized dark-brown, stony-hard, irregular, lower abdominal mass of four years duration. The patient had a history of two Cesarean deliveries, 14 and 16 years ago. Suspecting endometriosis, we excised the tumor conservatively rather than extensively to prevent incisional hernia considering the benign nature of the tumor and the low possibility of recurrence because the patient's age was near menopause, along with simultaneous bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy that was performed in this case. On reconstruction, mini-abdominoplasty was adopted to avoid possible wound complications and cosmetic deformities. The patient was satisfied with the cosmetic results, and neither recurrence nor functional problems occurred during the 1-year follow-up period. Plastic surgeons should keep in mind the possibility of cutaneous endometriosis in an abdominal mass of a female of reproductive age with a previous history of pelvic or intra-abdominal surgery. An optimal result from oncological, functional, and cosmetic standpoints can be achieved with conservative excision followed by mini-abdominoplasty of extensive Cesarean scar endometriosis.