"Marriage" abdominoplasty: body contouring with limited scars combining mini-abdominoplasty and liposuction.

The "marriage" or union of aggressive truncal liposuction with modified abdominoplasty techniques has been applied by the authors to treat patients with abdominal deformities marked by lower abdominal skin excess, abdominal muscle laxity, and excess adipose tissue on the abdominal wall and in adjacent contours. In the appropriately selected patient this form of "mini-abdominoplasty" has resulted in excellent contour improvement and a more rapid return to life activities than is seen with "full" abdominoplasty. In the authors' experience, it is applicable to the majority of patients (over 50%) presenting for abdominal contour improvement.