Weight Loss Much More Successful When Gastric Bypass Is Followed By Tummy Tuck

August 1st, 2014

Patients who have lost a significant amount of weight after bariatric surgery are more likely to stay slimmed down when their excess skin is removed, a study reports.
Published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the results show better long-term weight control in patients who have had body-contouring procedures.

Dr. Ali Modarressi and his colleagues at the University of Geneva in Switzerland believe their study shows that body contouring should be considered an essential part of successful bariatric surgery and should be covered by insurance plans. “Since plastic surgery after massive weight loss is mandatory for quality of life improvement and weight loss maintenance in many patients, body contouring must be considered a reconstructive surgery for those who have achieved massive weight loss,” the researchers said.

The study looked at the long-term weight outcomes of gastric-bypass patients, comparing 98 who had body-contouring procedures with 102 patients who did not.
Within two years after bariatric surgery, the patients lost an average of almost 100 pounds. Over time, the patients who had body contouring regained less weight: an average of just over 1 pound per year, compared with 4 pounds per year for patients who did not.
After accounting for the weight of excess skin removed, the average patient who had gastric bypass regained nearly 50 pounds, while those who also had body contouring regained an average of only 14 pounds.

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