Previous Cesarean Section Delivery Increases the Risk for Seroma Development in Abdominoplasty Patients: Our Experience With 746 Patients.

Background: Complications after body-contouring surgery are a field of great interest. Recognition of patient-related characteristics contributing to a greater risk for complication is of the utmost importance in improving the quality of care and safety profile of aesthetic procedures. Previous history of cesarean section (CS) and its impact on adverse events after abdominoplasty has yet to be investigated and defined.

Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the effect of previous cesarean section on the risk for adverse events in abdominoplasty.

Methods: The medical records of 746 eligible patients were reviewed, and relevant information was extracted. Stratification of patients based on a previous history of CS was followed by statistical analysis of differences between the groups. Relevant regression models were implemented to further understand the data.

Results: Seven hundred forty-six patients were included in the study, of which 308 (43.1%) had history of CS delivery. The group did not differ in baseline demographic and surgical details, except for a greater hemoglobin level in the non-CS patients (P = .007). Analysis of complication rates revealed a statistically significant increase in the risk for seroma development in the group of patients with a history of CS delivery (P = .031), which correlated to a 65% increase in the risk for complications (odds ratio = 1.65, 95% CI 1.07-2.56).

Conclusions: A medical history of CS increases the risk for seroma development in the postoperative period following abdominoplasty. Several potential pathogenic mechanisms exist, and further prospective research is needed to further characterize the association.

Level of evidence: 3: