Does concomitant breast surgery add morbidity to abdominoplasty?

BACKGROUND Patients undergoing abdominoplasty often have breast concerns, as well as abdominal concerns, because pregnancy is often the etiologic factor in both. Although concerns about combination procedures have been raised recently, the specific issue of combining abdominoplasty and breast surgery has been scarcely addressed. OBJECTIVE This study was designed to evaluate the morbidity of abdominoplasty alone versus that associated with abdominoplasty combined with breast surgery. METHODS A retrospective review of 92 consecutive cases performed by a single surgeon in an outpatient setting was performed. Two groups of patients were identified, those who had abdominoplasty alone, and those who had abdominoplasty with associated breast surgery. Breast surgery included augmentation, mastopexy, augmentation/mastopexy, implant removal/exchange, and breast reduction. The groups were compared with respect to morbidity rates, and, additionally, operative time, body mass index, volume of liposate removed (all patients underwent some lipoplasty), and age were evaluated as potential contributing factors in morbidity. RESULTS No significant difference in morbidity was seen between patients undergoing abdominoplasty alone and patients undergoing abdominoplasty with combined breast surgery. There were no deaths or hospital admissions with either group of patients. CONCLUSIONS This study provides additional evidence that abdominoplasty and breast surgery can be combined safely.