Does a lower body lift or belt lipectomy have a high mortality or death rate compared to gastric bypass?

Hi Foreveryoung908,The 360 circumferential lower body lift or belt lipectomy is less risky than gastric bypass. The mortality and death rate is significantly less with a lower body lift compared to gastric bypass.  Typically, patients undergoing gastric bypass are less healthy than patients undergoing a 360 circumferential lower body lift. Usually, patients undergoing gastric bypass have other medical conditions. Often, these include high blood pressure, diabetes, and other weight-related illnesses. In addition, patients undergoing gastric bypass are  morbidly obese. These medical conditions can significantly increase your risk for complications during and after gastric bypass surgery.  In addition, the gastric bypass is "more invasive".  The gastric bypass deals with anatomy that is much deeper than the 360 lower body lift.  The gastric bypass involves stapling the stomach and intestines. If there is a leak in the staple line, it can be fatal.The 360 circumferential lower body lift or belt lipectomy is less risky.  However, it is not risk-free.  Please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who has done hundreds of lower body lifts.  During your consultation, ask how many body lifts your plastic surgeon has performed and their complication and death rate.  Demand to see not just several body lifts before and after pictures, but pictures of at least 50 patients who have had the lower body lift or belt lipectomy with your selected plastic surgeon. Also, look online for patient testimonials regarding body lifts with your selected surgeon.Good luck.Sincerely, Dr. Katzen

The lower body lift rate is much lower than the gastric bypass rate.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Lower Body Lifts and Belt Lipectomies are very safe and have a much, much lower mortality and morbidity compared bariatric procedures. This is primarily due to the risk factors of the patients who are having these surgeries done. Candidates for bariatric surgeries by definition have significant risk factors. Obesity of course and they may also have pulmonary, cardiac, and endocrine problems such as diabetes. Bariatric Surgery is an important means for reducing these.Good candidates for body contour procedures have already lost most of their weight and have a favorable BMI which greatly reduces their risk of adverse events. Further, potential patients with other medical issues should have these controlled and treated before consideration of plastic surgery. This all result in plastic surgery patients being much more health than those having bariatric surgery and therefore our morbidity rate is much lower.The common complications from plastic surgery relate more to delays in healing which are not life threatening.I hope you find this helpful.Bernard Shuster, MD

Lower body lift is a major surgical procedure. As such it patients should be healthy and no major medical condition that can increase the risks of surgery.once a complete per operative clearance by the family physician and other specialties as needed is obtained, along with complete history, physical examination, complete blood work and EKG when indicated. It is important then to choose the right plastic surgeon , board certified, and the surgery is done in an accredited facility, anesthesia provider , board certified, the risks under these conditions are small, but never zero.risks and complications as well as the measures taken to lessen these risks should be discussed with the patient as part of the informed consent.also must allocate the appropriate length of time for recovery 

The 360 degree body lift is considerably less risky than GBP surgery. The single greatest risk factor for mid-torso tuck procedures is that of pulmonary embolus and the best ways to minimize this risk is to recognize it. We gather data on each of our patients to formally assess this risk and act accordingly based on evidence related data. Early and aggressive ambulation is also important. Even more important is the skill and experience of your surgeon. I have been specializing in post-massive weight loss since 1998 and take a very special interest in my post weight loss patients. Good luck and thank you for your excellent question. SG

Gastric bypass is definitely a more invasive procedure and so the complication rate which has gotten quite small compared to many years ago will usually be less then a lower body lift or any other bariatric face or body contouring procedure. Also, with the plastic surgery procedures, the patient has generally lost the weight which has reversed their medical problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiac problems. Complications can still occur but rarely, like pulmonary embolus. I do use pneumatic pressure stockings during the surgery and really encourage the patient to move around after the surgery.