Dallas — Certain types of wound complications are more frequent in men than in women who undergo body contouring procedures after weight loss surgeries, according to new research results.
The study, conducted by researchers with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, compared complications between men and women in a large database of patients undergoing body contouring, defined as several different types of plastic surgery procedures to remove excess fat and skin in patients with massive weight loss, usually after bariatric surgery, GlobeNewswire reports.
Of the 481 patients in the database, 10 percent were male. The most common body contouring procedures in men were surgery to remove excess tissue in the chest, genital area, back and arms. Women were more likely to undergo surgery on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks.
The overall complication rate was 42 percent. Hematomas occurred in 14.6 percent of men versus 3.5 percent of women, seromas in 25 percent of men versus 13 percent of women.
With adjustment for other factors, the risk of hematomas was nearly four times higher in men, while seroma risk was nearly three times higher. As a result of these risks, men had a higher overall complication rate. Men represent a minority of body contouring patients, but there has been a significant increase in males undergoing lower body lifts and abdominoplasty over the past decade.
“Men who are considering body contouring surgery should be advised that they are at an increased risk of postoperative hematoma and seroma formation,” the authors wrote, adding that further research may identify factors contributing to the higher risk of wound complications in men and thus increase the safety of body contouring surgery.
The study was published in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
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