Techniques to Minimize Complications After Abdominoplasty: A Comparative Study of Fibrin Sealants, Progressive Tension Sutures, and Suction Drains

Abstract

Background: Abdominoplasty, a common aesthetic procedure, often encounters complications such as seroma formation, delayed healing and increased healthcare visits. Advanced techniques, including progressive tension sutures (PTS) and fibrin sealants, have been developed to enhance postoperative outcomes. This study evaluates the efficacy of these techniques compared to suction drains (traditional technique).Methods: Aprospective cohort study included 30 patients undergoing abdominoplasty, randomly divided into three groups: Group A (traditional technique), Group B (progressive tension sutures), and Group C (fibrin sealant). Outcomes assessed included drain output, time to drain removal, hospital stay, scar quality, and aesthetic outcomes.Results: Group C exhibited the lowest drain output (49.32 ± 19.16 mL, p=0.042) and the shortest drain removal time (4.3 ± 1.01 days, p=0.0147), resulting in a significantly reduced hospital stay (3.5 ± 0.53 days, p<0.001). Group B showed moderate improvements in drain output (66.3 ± 15.1 mL) and hospital stay (4.5 ± 0.71 days), though differences were not statistically significant. Scar quality trends favoured Group B (90% rated as ‘good’), followed by Group C (80%) and Group A (50%), without statistical significance (p=0.200).Conclusions: Fibrin sealants significantly enhance recovery by reducing drain output, shortening hospital stays, and improving patient outcomes compared to PTS and traditional techniques. PTS demonstrated notable benefits in decreasing seroma formation and drain output despite not achieving statistical significance. Both techniques show promise for optimizing abdominoplasty outcomes and improving patient satisfaction, warranting further investigation.Level of evidence: Level I, therapeutic Study.