Abdominoplasty with simultaneous laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair: A practical approach to preserve the umbilical vascularization.

[BACKGROUND] Umbilical necrosis is a well-known complication of abdominoplasty, the risk of this complication can be increased when an associated umbilical hernia requires further dissection in peri-umbilical region, potentially leading to umbilical devascularisation. Multiple minimally invasive open techniques were described to avoid this problem. The combined approach of abdominoplasty with laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair is one promising solution to avoid devascularising the umbilicus.

[METHODS] A retrospective evaluation of patients who underwent concomitant abdominoplasty with laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair from 2007 to 2017 was carried out. All patients were followed up and evaluated for complications, including the incidence of umbilical skin necrosis.

[RESULTS] A total of 47 patients were included in this study. The average operative duration was 3.3hours with an average hospital stay of 2.5 days. No cases of postoperative umbilical necrosis were encountered. A mean follow-up period was 2.4 years showed no cases of hernia or rectus abdominis diastasis recurrence. Minor complications included 4 cases of dehiscence, one hematoma. There was no major complications.

[CONCLUSION] The concomitant use of laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair and abdominoplasty is a feasible approach to reduce the risks of umbilical devascularization. Especially in larger hernias and in patients with higher risk of recurrence.