| Title | Pulmonary Embolism After Combined Abdominoplasty and Flank Liposuction: A Correlation With the Amount of Fat Removed. | | Author(s) | Gravante G, Araco A, Sorge R, Araco F, Nicoli F, Caruso R, Langiano N, Cervelli V | | Institution | From the *Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy; †Dolan Park Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom; and ‡Department of Human Physiology, Laboratory of Biometry, University of Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy. | | Source | Ann Plast Surg 2008 Jun; 60(6):604-608. | | Abstract | BACKGROUND:: We prospectively followed patients who underwent esthetic abdominoplasty and flank liposuction to determine the influence of the amount of fat removed on the occurrence of pulmonary embolism.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:: We recruited patients undergoing abdominoplasties and flank liposuction and composed 2 groups according to the amount of fat removed, one of small resections (<1500 g) and the other of great resections (>1500 g). All patients received deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis.
RESULTS:: Since January 2005, we enrolled 103 patients and registered 3 embolisms (2.9%). All occurred in nonsmokers, had no risk factor for deep vein thrombosis, and a resection weight greater than 1500 g (21.4%; 3/14). The calculated relative risk conferred by the amount of fat greater than 1500 g was 7.4. An association was also found with duration of surgery: all embolisms occurred in patients that underwent long operation (>140 minutes; 8.8%; 3/34) with a relative risk of 3.0.
CONCLUSIONS:: The amount of fat removed during plastic surgery is a factor influencing the occurrence of pulmonary embolism in patients undergoing abdominoplasty/flank liposuction, and the duration of surgery is a concomitant factor. Should this data be confirmed, specific measures for prevention of this serious complication could be developed. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 18520191 |
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