Mini-Abdominoplasty in Burn Reconstruction

The excision of excessive fat and subcutaneous tissue in the infraumbilical region, also known as "mini-abdominoplasty, " can be used to harvest skin for burn reconstruction. The resultant full-thickness grafts are less prone to contracture than split-thickness grafts. They are particularly useful in areas where mobility is important, such as the neck and areas overlying major joints. It allows a single-stage reconstruction with little donor site morbidity and favorable long-term functional outcomes. Multiple other donor sites have been reported, most commonly the groin and small pinch grafts on the trunk, but they provide only small amounts of skin when compared with the abdomen. The authors report 12 cases of patients who were treated for sequelae of burns with full-thickness abdominal skin grafts that were procured by mini-abdominoplasties for the sole purpose of obtaining the skin. The mini-abdominoplasty in this series was found to be an effective, safe technique that provides large amounts of full-thickness skin for reconstruction. While the size of the grafts varied with age and size of the abdomen, up to 40 × 15 cm can be obtained in adults. The donor site complications are rare but most commonly include seromas and dehiscence of the wound.