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Body Taping for Contour Surgery

Kalbermatten, Daniel ; Wettstein, Reto ; Erba, Paolo ; Rieger, Ulrich ; Pierer, Gerhard ; Raffoul, Wassim

In: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2009, vol. 33, no. 3, p. 324-326

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    Title
    • Body Taping for Contour Surgery
    Author
    • Kalbermatten, Daniel. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
    • Wettstein, Reto. Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
    • Erba, Paolo. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
    • Rieger, Ulrich. Klinik für Plastische und Wiederherstellungschirurgie A.ö. Landeskrankenhaus Innsbruck Medizinische, Universität Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
    • Pierer, Gerhard. Klinik für Plastische und Wiederherstellungschirurgie A.ö. Landeskrankenhaus Innsbruck Medizinische, Universität Innsbruck, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
    • Raffoul, Wassim. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University of Lausanne, Rue de Bugnon 46, 1010, Lausanne, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:312289
    Summary
    Background: Preoperative marking is of primary importance in body contouring and when precise simulation of skin excisions is difficult. Because the "cut as you go” principle can be delicate, especially in patients after massive weight loss, a simple and quick method is needed for preoperative planning. We suggest an approach that helps visualize the optimal skin incision lines and simulates the postoperative result by body taping. Methods: Twelve patients who underwent abdominal contouring, including classic and vertical abdominoplasties as well as dog ear and scar revision, were prospectively analyzed. The skin to be excised was preoperatively folded, taped, and then marked. The area marked was measured and compared with the actual intraoperatively resected area and the postoperative result was evaluated after 1year by the patients and three surgeons. Results: With body taping, an 83% congruence between the preoperative planning and the surgery was obtained and only two patients had additional skin resected. No wound dehiscence and flap necrosis occurred and patients as well as surgeons scored the final body contour positively. Conclusion: Body taping is a simple, quick, and economic method for planning contour surgery with high accuracy as demonstrated by the low rate of intraoperative changes of the planned resection and low complication rate