Neoumbilicoplasty is a useful adjuvant procedure in abdominoplasty

BACKGROUND: Neoumbilicoplasties are indicated in congenital conditions associated with umbilical agenesis, umbilical loss due to inflammatory destruction, excision of skin cancer involving the umbilical stump and in surgical procedures for herniorrhaphy, as well as in the rare condition of umbilical endometriosis. OBJECTIVE: Neoumbilicoplasty is an adjuvant procedure that may be necessary during abdominoplasty with wide myofascial plication, or repair of concomitant hernias of the abdominal wall. The present article justifies sacrificing the umbilicus followed by neoumbilicoplasty in patients with significant wide myofascial plication or concomitant hernias of the abdominal wall. METHODS: Seventeen patients underwent a combination of abdominoplasty and wide (greater than 10 cm) vertical plication of the myofascial complex and required neoumbilicoplasty. The male to female ratio was 1:16; mean age was 44 years, mean weight 94.1 kg and mean height 160.2 cm. Characteristic body morphology included gross trunk obesity with a prominent anterior abdominal wall.The female patients were multiparous. Sacrificing the umbilici followed by neoumbilicoplasty was required in patients with umbilical hernias and patients who had divarication of the rectus abdominis muscles with short umbilical stumps. RESULTS: Nine patients had concomitant ventral hernias (52.94%) and eight patients had divarication of the rectus abdominis muscles with short umbilical stumps (47.05%). The mean perioperative myofascial plication distance was 15.41 cm and the gap closure required three to five rows of sutures. CONCLUSION: Neoumbilicoplasty is a useful adjuvant procedure during abdominoplasty with wide myofascial plication or repair of concomitant hernias of the abdominal wall.