Study of Plastic Surgery after Pregnancy Confirms Safety of Combined Procedures

A retrospective review of 268 patients who underwent “mommy makeover” procedures at Marina Plastic Surgery Associates in Los Angeles (combining tummy tuck, breast lift, liposuction, and similar surgeries) shows that complications following combined surgery are similar to those reported for individually-staged procedures.

Marina del Rey, California (July 2008) – To reduce the expense and recovery time associated with multiple plastic surgery procedures, more and more patients are choosing to combine surgery. A new study just released reviews the safety of one type of combination surgery – the “mommy makeover” – by analyzing complication rates and comparing these rates to individually-staged procedures such as tummy tuck and breast lift in Los Angeles. Background on mommy makeovers can be found at http://www.amommymakeover.com.

“Mommy makeovers have a similar safety profile to individually-performed procedures while offering distinct advantages versus multiple surgical sessions,” says W. Grant Stevens, MD, lead author of the study and a board-certified plastic surgeon who founded Marina Plastic Surgery in Los Angeles. “A tummy tuck, breast lift, and liposuction are all common procedures for mothers looking to recreate their ‘pre-baby’ body. For a woman who wants to have plastic surgery after pregnancy, combining the procedures certainly makes a lot of sense.”

The study’s objective was to evaluate a single surgical center’s 10-year history with combined abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and cosmetic breast surgery to assess the safety and efficacy of mommy makeover surgery. Women receiving lower, mini, full, reverse, or circumferential abdominoplasty along with some type of cosmetic breast surgery (augmentation, lift, augmentation with lift, reduction, or implant revision) were included in the retrospective review.

“What we found from the 268 cases reviewed is that complication and revision rates for the combined mommy makeover surgery are well within the range one would expect if the procedures were performed individually,” adds Dr. Stevens. “What this means in plain English is that women who choose a mommy makeover do not appear to be at any additional risk of complications compared to those women who have one surgery, like a tummy tuck in Los Angeles, and then down the road elect to have a cosmetic breast procedure.”

The study tracked both complication and revision rates for the women who underwent surgery (revision rates track the percent of patients who require revision surgery to correct a complication). Complication and revision rates for mommy makeover patients in the review were 34% and 13%, respectively. By itself, abdominoplasty has complication rates that range from 10 to 40%, and revision rates that range between 10 to 24%. Individual cosmetic breast procedures have complication rates that range from 2 to 25% and revision rates between 2 to 26%.

“If you add up the risks from the individual procedures, you would expect to see complication rates between 12 to 65% and revision rates between 12 to 52% when combining the procedures,” says Dr. Stevens. “The observed complication rate of our review – 34% – falls almost right in the middle of what should be expected, and our observed revision rate – 13% – is on the low end of expected results.”

“The bottom line of these numbers is clear,” adds Dr. Stevens. “Based on our review, combining cosmetic procedures in a single surgical session for a mommy makeover does not appear to create any additional risk to the patient versus having procedures performed one at a time. With a similar safety profile, enjoying the cost savings of a mommy makeover and having a shorter and more concentrated recovery period are benefits women just can’t ignore when considering plastic surgery after pregnancy.”