The long-term durability of plication of the anterior rectus sheath assessed by ultrasonography

The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term durability of a stand ard vertical plication of the anterior rectus sheath. For this purpose, 70 women who had undergone this procedure as part of an abdominoplasty were se nt a questionnaire, their records were studied, and they were e invited bac k to the clinic for an examination using ultrasound. A total of 63 patients returned the questionnaire, and 40 were willing to attend a follow-up cons ultation and ultrasound investigation. The presence of rectus diastasis was assessed by ultrasound (a real time scanner with a 7.5-MHz linear probe). The study showed that after a follow-up of 32 to 109 months (mean, 64 month s), standard plication of the abdominal wall with absorbable material led t o residual or recurrent diastasis in 40 percent of the patients. It also co nfirmed that vertical plication only is not enough to improve the waistline and may eventually lead to epigastric bulging.