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Shear Wave Elastography for Assessment of Changes in Abdominal Soft Tissues after Lipoabdominoplasty

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  • Body Contouring
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Abstract

Background

The changes in the elasticity of the abdominal skin, subcutaneous tissues and muscles after lipoabdominoplasty are still unknown. The aim of this study was to provide an objective assessment of tissue elasticity after lipoabdominoplasty using ultrasound elastography.

Methods

A total of 21 female patients (31–41 years old) who underwent lipoabdominoplasty from Oct 2019 to Mar 2022 were included in this retrospective study. The elastography values of the skin, subcutaneous tissues and abdominal muscles were obtained with the ultrasound shear wave elasticity imaging system pre-operation (Pre) and 6 months post-operation (Post) at four different points.

Results

Twenty-one female patients were included. The elasticity of the abdominal skin, subcutaneous tissues, rectus abdominis and external oblique abdominis significantly increased at 6 months post-operation. The improvements in abdominal soft tissue elasticity were not uniform across the examined points.

Conclusions

Significant changes in the elasticity of the abdominal skin, subcutaneous tissues and muscles were observed after lipoabdominoplasty. Ultrasound elastographic assessment was objective and feasible for evaluating the effect of lipoabdominoplasty on abdominal soft tissue.

Level of Evidence III

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Acknowledgments

None.

Funding

This work was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (82002037) and Shanghai Clinical Research Center of Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery supported by Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (22MC1940300).

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Author notes

  1. Renpeng Zhou and Angang Ding have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai, 200011, People’s Republic of China

    Renpeng Zhou, Dongze Lyu, Chen Wang & Danru Wang

  2. Department of Ultrasonography, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, People’s Republic of China

    Angang Ding

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  1. Renpeng Zhou
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  2. Angang Ding
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  4. Chen Wang
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Correspondence to Chen Wang or Danru Wang.

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Zhou, R., Ding, A., Lyu, D. et al. Shear Wave Elastography for Assessment of Changes in Abdominal Soft Tissues after Lipoabdominoplasty. Aesth Plast Surg (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03794-1

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