Back to 2025 Resident Posters
Abdominoplasty Practice Patterns: An American Society Of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Member Survey - How Much Has Changed Over 20 Years?
Morgan L. Fish, M.D.
1,
Marjorie C. Kragel, M.D.1, Pierce L. Janssen, M.D.
1, Elad Fraiman, B.A., M.P.H.
2, Alan Matarasso, M.D.
3, James E. Zins, M.D., F.A.C.S.
1.
1Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA, 2Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA, 3Hofstra University/Northwell School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
PURPOSE: In 2006, Matarasso et al. published an American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) member survey detailing abdominoplasty practice patterns. The purpose of this report is to explore how surgical techniques, ancillary procedures, and practice patterns have changed in the interim.
METHODS: A 38-question survey was created based on the 2006 study with selected modifications to encompass new techniques and trends. Matarasso et al. suggested additional questions for future reports, several of which were included in our survey. The questions were distributed to a random group of 1765 ASPS members. Results were compared to the 2006 survey.
RESULTS: A total of 256 responses were collected (14.5% response rate; ±4% margin of error at a 95% confidence level).
CONCLUSION: Abdominoplasty with inverted V undermining, rectus plication, and umbilical transposition was practiced by the overwhelming number of respondents in both studies. Abdominal flap liposuction as an adjunct to abdominoplasty was practiced by approximately 50% of respondents in both 2006 and 2023. Power-assisted liposuction increased from 14% to 50.7%, while ultrasound-assisted liposuction decreased from 13% to 6.4%. Newer adjuncts including progressive tension sutures and tranexamic acid were used by 49.8% and 53.2% of respondents respectively. Drains continued to be used by the overwhelming number of respondents (82.5% from 98% in 2006) despite adoption of progressive tension sutures. Willingness to perform concomitant breast surgery was universally high for both surveys. Respondents were, however, less likely to perform concomitant intraabdominal or facial surgeries when compared to 2006. Finally, findings are correlated to current literature recommendations.
Back to 2025 Resident Posters
