Your Weight & SurgeryDid you know that being somewhat over what might be regarded as an ideal weight for your height, can affect the success of your cosmetic surgery? Statistics demonstrate conclusively that an index of your weight and height, called the body mass index (BMI), does indeed predict accurately the risk to you of various post-surgical problems. Some of these problems relate to the use of general anaesthesia, whilst others relate to the specific operation undertaken. In general, anaesthesia related complications related to obesity (and being merely overweight) include:
In general, surgery related complications include elevated risks of wound healing problems such as infection, wound dehiscence (separation of wound edges) and adverse scar formation (hypertrophic and keloid scars). In particular problems are frequently experienced with the blood supply of elevated flaps of tissue, resulting in necrosis (black death) of tissues in those surgical procedures requiring flap elevation. Procedures at maximal risk appear to be abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and breast reduction. Your surgeon realises you may be self-conscious about your weight, and seeking a speedy solution. Nonetheless the surgery we are contemplating is purely elective, and it behoves both of us to minimise risk and maximise the quality of our results. It is very much in your best interest to attain your ideal or desired weight (or alternatively a maximum BMI of 28) prior to surgery. This will help to ensure predictably excellent results. NB . The list of anaesthetic risks has been provided by our anaesthetist |
