Mini-Abdominoplasty Consent
INSTRUCTIONS
This is an informed-consent document that has been prepared to help inform you of mini-abdominoplasty surgery, its risks, as well as alternative treatments.
It is important that you read this information carefully and completely. Please initial each page, indicating that you have read the page and sign the consent for surgery as proposed by your plastic surgeon.
INTRODUCTION
The mini-abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fatty tissue from the lower abdomen and to tighten muscles of the abdominal wall. There are a variety of different techniques used by plastic surgeons for mini-abdominoplasty. The mini-abdominoplasty can be combined with other forms of body-contouring surgery, including suction-assisted lipectomy, or other elective surgeries.
Abdominoplasty surgery is not a treatment for being overweight. Obese individuals who intend to lose weight should postpone all forms of body-contouring surgery until they have been able to maintain their weight loss.
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS
Alternative forms of management consist of not treating the areas of loose skin and fatty deposits. Suction-assisted lipectomy surgery may be a surgical alternative to abdominoplasty if there is good skin tone and localized abdominal fatty deposits in an individual of normal weight. Diet and exercise programs may be of benefit in the overall reduction of excess body fat.
Risks and potential complications are associated with alternative forms of treatment that involve surgery.
RISKS of MINI-ABDOMINOPLASTY SURGERY
Every surgical procedure involves a certain amount of risk and it is important that you understand the risks involved with mini-abdominoplasty. An individual’s choice to undergo a surgical procedure is based on the comparison of the risk to potential benefit. Although the majority of patients do not experience the following complications, you should discuss each of them with your plastic surgeon to make sure you understand all possible consequences of mini-abdominoplasty.
Bleeding- It is possible, though unusual, to experience a bleeding episode during or after surgery. Should post-operative bleeding occur, it may require emergency treatment to drain accumulated blood (hematoma). Do not take any aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications for ten days before surgery, as this may increase the risk of bleeding.
Infection- Infection is unusual after this type of surgery. There is a greater risk of infection when body contouring procedures are performed in conjunction with abdominal surgical procedures. Should an infection occur, treatment including antibiotics or additional surgery may be necessary.
Change in skin sensation- Diminished (or loss) of skin sensation in the lower abdominal area may not totally resolve after abdominoplasty.
Skin contour irregularities- Contour irregularities and depressions may occur after mini-abdominoplasty. Visible and palpable wrinkling of skin may additionally occur.
Pulmonary complications- Pulmonary complications may occur secondarily to both blood clots (pulmonary emboli) or partial collapse of the lungs after general anesthesia. Should either of these complications occur, you may require hospitalization and additional treatment. Pulmonary emboli can be life-threatening or fatal in some circumstances.
Skin scarring- Excessive scarring is uncommon. In rare cases, abnormal scars may result. Scars may be unattractive and of different color than surrounding skin. Additional treatments including surgery may be necessary to treat abnormal scarring.
Surgical anesthesia- Both local and general anesthesia involve risk. There is the possibility of complications, injury, and even death from all forms of surgical anesthesia or sedation.
Asymmetry- Symmetrical body appearance may not result from mini-abdominoplasty. Factors such as skin tone, fatty deposits, skeletal prominence, and muscle tone may contribute to normal asymmetry in body features.
Delayed healing- Wound disruption or delayed wound healing is possible. Some areas of the abdomen may heal abnormally or slowly. Some areas of skin may die. This may require frequent dressing changes or further surgery to remove the non-healed tissue. Smokers have a greater risk of skin loss and wound healing complications.
Allergic reactions- In rare cases, local allergies to tape, suture material, or topical preparations have been reported. Systemic reactions which are more serious may result from drugs used during surgery and prescription medicines. Allergic reactions may require additional treatment.
Seroma- Fluid accumulations infrequently occur in between the skin and the abdominal wall. Should this problem occur, it may require additional procedures for drainage of fluid.
Umbilicus (navel)- Malposition, scarring, unacceptable appearance or loss of the umbilicus (navel) may occur.
Long term effects- Subsequent alterations in body contour may occur as the result of aging, weight loss or gain, pregnancy, or other circumstances not related to abdominoplasty.
Pain- Very infrequently, chronic pain may occur from nerves becoming trapped in scar tissue after abdominoplasty.
Unsatisfactory result- You may be disappointed with the results of surgery. Infrequently, it is necessary to perform additional surgery to improve your results.
ADDITIONAL SURGERY NECESSARY
Should complications occur, additional surgery or other treatments may be necessary. Even though risks and complications occur infrequently, the risks cited are particularly associated with mini-abdominoplasty. Other complications and risks can occur but are even more uncommon. The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee or warranty expressed or implied on the results that may be obtained.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Most health insurance companies exclude coverage for cosmetic surgical operations such as mini-abdominoplasty or any complications that might occur from surgery. Please carefully review your health insurance subscriber-information pamphlet.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The cost of surgery involves several charges for the services provided. The total includes fees charged by your doctor, the cost of surgical supplies, anesthesia, laboratory tests, and possible outpatient hospital charges, depending on where the surgery is performed. Depending on whether the cost of surgery is covered by an insurance plan, you will be responsible for necessary co-payments, deductibles, and charges not covered. Additional costs may occur should complications develop from the surgery. Secondary surgery or hospital day-surgery charges involved with revisionary surgery would also be your responsibility.
DISCLAIMER
Informed-consent documents are used to communicate information about the proposed surgical treatment of a disease or condition along with disclosure of risks and alternative forms of treatment(s). The informed-consent process attempts to define principles of risk disclosure that should generally meet the needs of most patients in most circumstances.
However, every patient is unique and informed-consent documents should not be considered all inclusive in defining other methods of care and risks encountered when medical care is reasonable and directed at obtaining appropriate results. Your plastic surgeon may provide you with additional or different information which is based on all the facts in your particular case and the state of medical knowledge.
Informed-consent documents are not intended to define or serve as the standard of medical care. Standards of medical care are determined on the basis of all of the facts involved in an individual case and are subject to change as scientific knowledge and technology advance and as practice patterns evolve.