Can kidney transplant patients get a lower body thigh lift?

Question

I am 54 years old ,5'6" and 170lbs. I'm interested in Thigh lift with lower body contouring. However I am a kidney transplant patient which was done four years ago. I am taking Prograft, Cellcept and Prednisone. My nephrologist have cleared me for the surgery. I am also 20yr gastric bypass patient which is why i have the sagging skin.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

Yes, providing that you have clearance by your nephrology team and a primary care physician, you could proceed with planned surgery with a minimal risks. Good luck.

Mert Demirel, MD · Answer

Before we talk about the thigh lift itself, we should talk about whether your body can heal it. The skin question is the easy part. A thigh lift leaves a long incision under tension in a warm, moist area, and that is exactly where wounds like to open.
Anti-rejection medication slows repair and lowers resistance to infection, and after a gastric bypass, protein, iron and vitamin levels can be low even when you feel well. For that reason I would need written approval from your transplant nephrologist or internist, and there should be no history of trouble with wound healing. Without that, no commitment can be made, and this is not a formality.
If those conditions are met, the plan depends on where the excess sits. An inner-thigh lift is the common family, and a more limited version is reasonable when the laxity is small. A bigger lift removes more skin, but every step adds tension on the scar. Your weight also needs to have been stable for a good while, since further loss would loosen the result again.
Staying as you are, with skin care and garments for irritation, remains a reasonable choice. The scars here are long and can widen, and the wound is checked over weeks, not days. If a wound turns red, drains, or you get a fever after any procedure, contact your doctor promptly.

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

Yes, it can be done, but I would plan it more carefully than for an average patient. Prograf, CellCept and prednisone all slow wound healing and raise the risk of infection, and thigh lift incisions in the groin and inner thigh already have one of the highest rates of wound separation in body contouring, even in healthy patients. With your history, I would not combine a full lower body lift and a thigh lift in one long operation; staged surgery is safer and heals better after massive weight loss. Because of your gastric bypass, your protein, iron and vitamin levels should also be checked beforehand, since poor nutrition is a common hidden cause of delayed healing. Your nephrologist's clearance is very important, and your transplant team should be involved in managing your medications around surgery. I would also recommend having it done in a large university hospital covered by your insurance. This is not because a smaller team cannot perform the operation, but because if a complication occurs, it is much easier to manage there and the cost will not fall on you. Finally, ask yourself honestly whether the improvement you expect is worth these added risks for you.

Can kidney transplant patients get a lower body thigh lift?

Answers (3)

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