Expansion abdominoplasty for a pregnant woman with severe abdominal wall contracture due to a major burn during childhood: a case report.

Abstract

Normal abdominal expansion that occurs as a result of hormonal actions during pregnancy may be prevented by the presence of excessive scar tissue in individuals who have received severe burns. In these instances, the lack of abdominal expansion may cause maternal pain and put the infant at risk. A 23-year-old pregnant woman presented with severe abdominal wall contracture due to a major burn sustained during childhood. At 20 weeks of pregnancy, expansion abdominoplasty, consisting of zigzag incisions in the fascia to release the contracture and a split-thickness skin graft, was performed. The patient gave birth, via a planned cesarean operation at 36 weeks of pregnancy, to a baby girl in good condition; the postpartum course was uneventful.