[BODY-CONTOURING AFTER MASSIVE WEIGHT LOSS - THE POST-BARIATRIC SERVICE SAMSON ASSUTA ASHDOD UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL].

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is an effective tool for weight loss in the obese population, improving and often resolving related co-morbidities such as diabetes and hypertension, reducing overall morbidity and mortality. However, many patients suffer from excess and redundant skin in many areas of their body. Skin excess can cause physical, functional, psychological and aesthetic impairments such as fungal infections and skin rashes, difficulty maintaining personal hygiene, low self-esteem and self-image, social isolation, depression and low quality of life. Areas most commonly affected are the abdomen, upper arms, thighs and breasts. Body contouring surgery (post-bariatric surgery) can resolve health issues related to skin excess, improve quality of life and body image and help maintain weight loss. Since its establishment, the post-bariatric unit has performed 76 post-bariatric surgeries on 56 patients in Assuta Ashdod Hospital (67.1% abdominoplasties, 14.47% thigh-lifts, 10.52% brachioplasties, 5.26% breast surgeries, 2% gynecomastia repairs). In this article, we present the post-bariatric service in Assuta Ashdod Hospital including the pre-and post-operative treatment protocols and results.