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A Novel Approach to Abdominoplasty: TULUA Modifications (Transverse Plication, No Undermining, Full Liposuction, Neoumbilicoplasty, and Low Transverse Abdominal Scar)

  • Innovative Techniques
  • Aesthetic
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Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Lipoabdominoplasty can be associated with complications, particularly tissue necrosis, wound dehiscence, epigastric bulging, high transverse scar, low positioning of the umbilicus, and seroma.

Methods

Modified abdominoplasty characterized by (1) transverse elliptical plication of the lower abdominal wall, (2) no undermining of the flap above the navel, (3) unrestricted liposuction, (4) umbilical amputation and neoumbilicoplasty by skin graft, and (5) low transversely placed abdominal scar (TULUA) was performed for 42 patients. These procedures were elective and performed primarily to remedy epigastric skin redundancy associated with obesity or when supraumbilical undermining was considered inappropriate.

Results

The results were objectively scored as excellent for 20 patients, good for 21 patients, and fair for 1 patient. A normal-appearing umbilicus was attained in all cases except one. The lower transverse scars were generally concealable (6.3 ± 1.4 cm from the anterior vulvar commissure), and epigastric bulging was avoided. Although four patients experienced seromas at the tail ends of incisions, no skin necrosis, wound dehiscence, or other major complications such as venothromboembolism occurred, and there were no fatalities. In four patients, postoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated measurable and significant changes attributable to plicature compared with equivalent control points (p < 0.000001), which persisted over time.

Conclusions

The TULUA procedure offers potential advantages in terms of vascular safety, sensory recovery, position and quality of the umbilicus, and transverse scar location, with aesthetic outcomes that generally eliminate epigastric bulging. A sizeable patient population stands to benefit from this approach, especially when obesity, smoking, secondary revisions, umbilical or hypogastric hernias, and massive weight loss are clinical considerations for abdominoplasty.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

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Acknowledgment

Hospital Departamental Tomás Uribe and Clínica San Francisco, Tuluá, the institutions where TULUA (Transverse plication, no Undermining, unrestricted Liposuction, neo-Umbilicoplasty, Abdominoplasty) patients were operated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plastic Surgery, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia

    Francisco J. Villegas MD

  2. Unidad Central del Valle, Tuluá, Valle, Colombia

    Francisco J. Villegas MD

  3. Plastic Surgery Unit, Hospital Tomás Uribe and Clínica San Francisco, Tuluá, Valle, Colombia

    Francisco J. Villegas MD

  4. Carrera 34 #26-09 Oficina 504, Tuluá Valle del Cauca, Colombia

    Francisco J. Villegas MD

Authors
  1. Francisco J. Villegas MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francisco J. Villegas MD.

Additional information

Central idea presented at IPRAS, World Congress of Plastic Surgery, Vancouver Canada, 26 May 2011; FILACP XIX Congress of the Ibero-Latin-American Federation of Plastic Surgery, Medellín, Colombia, 24 May 2012; and IPRAS World Congress of Plastic surgery, Santiago de Chile, 24 February 2013

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Villegas, F.J. A Novel Approach to Abdominoplasty: TULUA Modifications (Transverse Plication, No Undermining, Full Liposuction, Neoumbilicoplasty, and Low Transverse Abdominal Scar) . Aesth Plast Surg 38, 511–520 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-014-0304-8

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