Abstract
BACKGROUND: Arm contouring has been a challenging issue for many years. Patients request contouring of their arms without incisions and with a shorter recovery time. Making an incision on the arm does not always lead to a nice scar, and in case of complications, it may be catastrophic. The use of "arm net suture" can replace the incision during the arm contour surgery. OBJECTIVES: The author has developed a simple technique of arm contouring with arm net suture that leads to eliminating the need for making an incision, preventing of sagging in the proximal part of the arm, and a shorter recovery time. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 157 patients who underwent arm contouring surgery. Through a small 5 mm incision in the medial elbow, normal saline solution containing Xylocaine (Fresenius Kabi, Bad Homburg, Germany) and adrenaline was infiltrated. After 20 min, liposuction was started from the most superficial layer with a 3 mm cannula, and then, deeper layers superficial to the fascia were suctioned with a 4 mm cannula. The author usually utilizes traditional suction-assisted lipectomy or power-assisted lipectomy. After completing liposuction, the laxity of the skin along the arm was checked. Most of the laxity of the skin occurred in the proximal third of the arm; while the assistant pulled the skin of the proximal part lateral and downward, the net sutures were inserted. On the third or fourth day (based on the severity of laxity of the skin), the sutures start to be removed from the distal rows, with all sutures removed by the fifth to sixth day. The follow-up times were between 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: All patients were female, and their age range was from 19 to 62 years (mean, 40.45 years). The volume of liposuction was from a minimum of 1200 cc to a maximum of 2500 cc (mean, 1645 cc), and the reduction of the arm diameter was occurred in the range of 6 to 14 cm. No immediate postoperative problems were observed in the patients. Revision was not needed for any patients. CONCLUSIONS: Arm net suture is a simple and safe method to replace the incision during arm contour surgery.