Background:Upper arm excess in patients with arm ptosis is frequently a source of dis-satisfaction.Arms are visible and become an important area for contouring. Patients with moderate arm ptosis are candidate for suction assisted liposuction or open suction-assisted brachioplasty. There is a controversy which is more suitable for the patient and has better results.
Objectives: The aim of this work was to compare the efficacy, patients' satisfaction, operative timing, recovery periods, scarring and aesthetic outcomes of liposuction alone versus open suction-assistedbrachioplasty in moderate arm ptosis.
Patients and Methods:This is a multicentric study that was carried out on 30 patients with moderate brachial ptosis presented to Benha University Hospital and Alamiri General Hospital during the period from January 2023 to August 2024.Patients were classified into two equal groups: Group I: patients who underwent suction assisted liposuction and group II: patients who underwent open suction-assisted brachioplasty.
Results: There were 3 males (10%)and27 (90%) females, the mean age in suction assisted liposuction group was 37.8±5.9 years compared to 35.0±4.4 years in open suction-assisted brachioplasty group. Both groups showed significant MAC reduction 6 months post operative compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Open suction-assistedbrachioplasty group had more procedure duration and time to drain removal compared to suction assisted liposuction group. A significant overall satisfaction rates more in open suction-assisted brachioplasty group than suction assisted liposuction (p=0.040).
Conclusions: Liposuction is an effective alternative to open suction-assisted brachioplasty without scarring and rapid recovery and more suitable for patients with comorbidities. But brachioplasty has more satisfaction rates than liposuction.