Commentary on: Incidence and Risk Factors of Major Complications in Brachioplasty: Analysis of 2,294 Patients.

Abstract

“Incidence and Risk Factors of Major Complications in Brachioplasty: Analysis of 2294 Patients” is an outcomes analysis that describes the greatest number of patients undergoing brachioplasty studied in the literature.1 Patients who underwent brachioplasty and were covered by CosmetAssure health insurance comprised the database. The study investigates risk factors for major complications as well as the major complications that occur in patients undergoing brachioplasty as a stand-alone or as part of a combined cosmetic surgical procedure. The investigators found that patients undergoing brachioplasty were more likely to be older than 50 years and typically have a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2. With regard to complicated outcomes, 77 patients (3.4%) developed at least one major complication, the most common being infection (1.7%), followed by hematoma (1.1%), venous thromboembolism (VTE) evaluation (0.4%), hypotension (0.1%), and cardiac complications (0.04%). Male gender led to an increased risk in overall complications, and specifically hematoma rates. BMI ≥ 30 was similarly found to be a risk factor for overall complications and infection. Brachioplasty was most frequently combined with liposuction or abdominoplasty, and there was an increase in hematoma rates and overall complications in combined procedures. The study assists plastic surgeons in forming a risk stratification scheme for patients pursuing brachioplasty, with a greater understanding of the factors that incite a higher risk for a major complication. The literature investigating body contouring outcomes (and brachioplasty outcomes more specifically) is generally young and relatively thin. The majority of papers are retrospective and emanate from a single surgeon experience. The benefit of this source of data is that the investigator knows the study population and has followed the patients, so the reader knows …