Umbilical scar autonomization: a safe technique for secondary abdominoplasties

Background: In lipominiabdominoplasty and mid-abdominoplasty procedures, the umbilicus is usually undermined from its aponeurotic fixation; this modifies its normal vascular pattern. In patients undergoing these procedures and candidates for a secondary classic abdominoplasty, trophic changes, including necrosis, may occur in the umbilical scar. To avoid trophic complications in the neo-umbilicus, autonomization of the umbilical scar was carried out. Methods: Three candidates for a secondary classic abdominoplasty underwent the umbilicus autonomization process in the private clinic of the corresponding author. One incision, 1 cm from the umbilical scar, was performed from the skin to the aponeurotic plane on each side, with an interval of 15 days between the two surgical incisions. After the second incision, the patient waited for a further 15 days. Thus, the whole process took 30 days before classic abdominoplasty was performed. Results: No trophic alterations or necrosis in the umbilical scar were observed in these cases. Conclusions: The aesthetic results were satisfactory, indicating the effectiveness of this method.