Body contouring after bariatric surgery helps obese patients keep weight off

Patients who have plastic surgery toreshape their bodies after bariatricprocedures are able to maintain“significantly greater” weight lossthan those who do not have surgery,according to a new study by Henry Ford Hospital researchers.

The study followed 94 patientswho underwent bariatric surgery atHenry Ford from 2003 through 2013.Of those, 47 subsequently had body-recontouringprocedures. Researchers recorded each patient’sBody Mass Index (BMI) – both beforetheir bariatric surgery and 2.5 yearsafter the procedure.

“Of the patients who underwentcontouring surgery, the averagedecrease in BMI was 18.24 at 2.5years, compared to a statisticallysignificant 12.45 at 2.5 years for thosewho did not have further surgery,”explained Dr Donna Tepper, seniorauthor of the study. The study results were presentedlast month at the annual conferenceof the American Society of PlasticSurgeons in Chicago.