Inferior Bodylift in Moroccan Patients: Experience at the Mohamed V Military Training Hospital

Abstract

Post-weight loss sequelae, whether following natural weight reduction or bariatric surgery, can significantly impact patients’ quality of life on physical, aesthetic, and psychological levels. Lower bodylift surgery, first introduced by Gonzalez-Ulloa in 1961, has since become a key procedure for addressing these issues by comprehensively reshaping body contours. This is a retrospective descriptive study conducted between January 2020 and January 2025, including 20 female patients who underwent lower bodylift surgery following the technique described by Pascal and Le Louarn. All procedures were performed by the same surgeon in the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery at the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital in Rabat. Data collection included clinical, anthropometric, surgical, and postoperative outcome parameters. The mean age of the patients was 42 years. All had post-bariatric excess skin, with stable weight for at least six months prior to surgery. The mean BMI was 26.7 kg/m². A diffuse adipocutaneous excess was present in 80% of cases. Surgery was performed under general anesthesia in two stages, including systematic liposuction, rectus diastasis repair, and oval umbilical reconstruction. Average operative time was 7 hours and 20 minutes. Aesthetic outcomes were rated as satisfactory to very satisfactory in all cases, particularly regarding overall contour, scar placement, and umbilical appearance. No major complications were reported. In the context of rising global obesity rates and growing aesthetic demands, the lower bodylift has emerged as a safe and effective surgical solution. When performed under optimal conditions and tailored to individual patient characteristics, it provides durable body contour restoration and significantly enhances patients’ quality of life.