Most body contouring surgery complications are relatively minor (when they happen to someone else!) and relate to wound healing issues. Such limiting complications are fairly common with estimates of these occurring in between %10 to %50 of body contouring patients. More serious and life-threatening complications fortunately are far fewer occurring in less than 0.5% of patients.
Serious complications after body contouring with major health implications relate to an overall event known as thromboembolism (formation of clots) include DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and PE. (pulmonary embolism) DVTs and PEs are interrelated and are well known as a potential complication from any surgery, not just body contouring. DVTs are clots that can form anywhere in the legs (most commonly in the calf) up into the pelvis. Their prevention starts in surgery with patients wearing SCDs (sequential compression devices) or TED hose, which serves to 'squeeze' the legs and help keep the blood flow returning up the leg rather than getting stagnant and prone to clot formation. This is also why you are encouraged to get up and move around after surgery, even though you may not want to. Walking also helps keeps blood flowing in the legs. If a DVT forms, you will have pain and swelling in the leg which may become permanent. Aggressive blood-thinning efforts must then be done to prevent it from becoming worse or pieces of clot breaking off.
If clots should form, pieces may break loose and travel to the lung known as a PE. When this potentially lethal event occurs, blood flow to breathing portions of the lung are blocked. In bariatric surgery, PE is the leading cause of death after this surgery. While weight loss greatly reduces this risk, plastic surgeons are always concerned about it. Treatment of PEs requires blood thinners but prevention is far more effective and it begins with aggressive anti-DVT methods in surgery. Also, it is for these reasons that I will not do body contouring procedures that last longer than five hours at a time. There is an obvious correlation between length of surgery and increasing risk of DVT. Body contouring can always be done in stages, avoiding excessively long operating times.
Other potential major complications can occur but are much more rare such as a heart attack or pneumonia. They are less likely in body contouring patients as most of these patients are still fairly young, usually under 50 years of age and in apparent good health.
Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com |
No comments:
Post a Comment