Breast Augmentation and Liposuction Blog - Dr. Bottger

We have long known that obesity increased the risk of complications from body contouring surgery like tummy tuck or liposuction. Now a study published in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, the official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, shows that obese women are also at a significantly increased risk for complications after breast surgery.

The study looked at data from about 8000 women who had elective breast surgery, and found that obese patients had a 12-fold increase in risk of complications following breast surgery. Although this study is an important one, it is worth noting that the study did not look at breast augmentation or breast lift. It only looked at procedures covered by insurance. About 80% of the obese women in the study and 64% of the nonobese women were undergoing breast reduction surgery, with 10% of obese and 24% of nonobese women undergoing breast reconstruction. The complication rates were compared within the same procedure.

The overall rate of complications for obese women was 18% and 2% for nonobese women. After eliminating other factors, researchers calculated the relative risk at 11.8 times higher for obese women.

This is another reminder that if you are considering plastic surgery, it is important for you to reach a stable weight at or near your ideal weight before seeking surgery.

Labels: breast augmentation, complication, safety