Thighs lift in the post-bariatric patient – A systematic review

Background

Thigh lift, first described by Lewis in 1957, consists of thigh recontouring by various strategies. In post-bariatric thigh lift (PBTL), the technical details become fundamental due to both patient comorbidities and increased risk of complications. Moreover, post-bariatric weight loss affects the thighs, resulting in significant tissue redundancy, inner excess, lower thigh deformity, later excess, and buttocks ptosis. With the present paper, a systematic review of PBTL procedures is reported and a comprehensive classification system is proposed, aiming to improve their medical and surgical management.

Methods

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) systematic review was carried out by searching the PubMed (MEDLINE) database from May 2004 to May 2024 using the search string “thighplasty OR thigh lift OR post-bariatric thighplasty OR (thigh lift AND weight loss) OR (thigh lift AND liposuction)”. Original studies discussing PBTL with a minimum of three clinical cases were eligible for inclusion.

Results

The final synthesis included 17 articles and 496 patients. The articles were published in the last 20 years. Several papers discussed significant PBTL surgical strategies and technical measures.

Conclusions

PBTL is challenging because of both technical factors and complex comorbidities of post-bariatric patients. This comprehensive assessment of PBTL may help in choosing the appropriate treatment based on a patient’s individual needs. Liposuction-assisted inner thigh lift with combined horizontal-vertical scars and skin-only excision is effective and versatile for most patients. However, select cases may benefit from alternative and more invasive strategies. Artificial intelligence is a topic of growing interest, and it will probably become increasingly relevant in PBTL.