Medial Thighplasty Improves Patient's Quality of Life After Massive Weight Loss: a Prospective Multicentric Study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of medial thighplasty following massive weight loss on the quality of life of patients and on their sexual life. METHODS: We performed a multicentric, prospective study on the quality of life after massive weight loss using the Short-Form 36 questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire, and the Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of life questionnaire. Forty-nine patients who underwent medial thighplasty were included in three centers and evaluation was made pre- and post-operatively. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 44 ± 12.5 years. The average pre-medial thighplasty body mass index was 27 ± 3.8 kg/m2. All the categories of the SF36 questionnaire scored higher after surgery apart from "health change" but only the "role limitations due to emotional problems" category was significantly improved (p = 0.0081). Similarly, the Moorehead-Ardelt questionnaire showed a positive impact of the surgery on the quality of life in general (mean total score 1.04 ± 1.37) and on self-esteem, physical activity, social relationships, and work performance. Interestingly, sexual activity was not improved by the surgery and this result is in line with the FSFI, which showed no effect of medial thighplasty on sexual life. CONCLUSIONS: Medial thighplasty improves the quality of life of patients after massive weight loss but does not seem to modify the sexual quality of life. These results clearly indicate that this surgery should be widely offered to patients seeking reconstruction of massive weight sequelae.