Psychosocial impact of abdominoplasty.

[BACKGROUND] The number of patients desiring reconstructive surgery after a huge weight loss achieved with gastric banding is increasing. This study was undertaken to determine whether plastic surgical removal of an overlap flap has a psychosocial effect on patients.

[METHODS] Thirty-women and four men who underwent overlap flap surgery were interviewed 1 day before, and again 3 and approximately 12 months after the procedure using a series of instruments: Strauss and Appelt's Questionnaire for assessing one's body, the Body Perception Questionnaire by Paulus, the questionnaire for satisfaction of life by Fahrenberg, Myrtek, Schumacher, and Brähler, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (German version) by Herrmann, Buss, and Snaith, and the authors' general questionnaire after surgery. The same clinical parameters were also investigated in a control group of persons who did not undergo plastic surgery. Comparisons were made before and after surgery between and in both groups.

[RESULTS] In contrast to the control group, surgical patients reported a highly significant increase in self-confidence and the feeling of being attractive (p <or= 0.001); 75% of the surgical patients stated that their expectations were met by the plastic surgical intervention.

[CONCLUSION] Plastic surgery after weight loss improves body image and subjective quality of life. These results will influence the indication for a reconstructive operation in future.