Abdominoplasty may have local or systemic complications.
Local complications:
(1) seroma
(2) hematoma
(3) infection
(4) skin necrosis and/or dehiscence
(5) necrosis of the umbilicus
(6) keloid or hypertrophic scar
(7) "dog ear" (conic deformity along skin closure)
(8) poor cosmesis
(9) suture-related (extrusion, granuloma)
(10) neurological (pain, paresthesia, hypoesthesia, hyperesthesia, allodynia)
(11) pseudotumor secondary to rupture of the vertical plication of the recuts abdominis sheath
Systemic complications:
(1) sepsis
(2) deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary emboli
(3) fat embolism
(4) respiratory distress
Risk factors for complications:
(1) prolonged surgery (> 4 hours)
(2) continued smoking
(3) unqualified surgeon with suboptimal operating conditions
(4) hypercoagulable state
(5) reoperation
(6) combined operation(s)
Thromboprophylaxis may reduce the risk for deep vein thrombosis, but increases the risk of hematoma formation.
