Abdominoplasty for treatment of abdominal gun-shot wound sequalae – A case report

BACKGROUND: Gun violence is a public health epidemic in the United States with 15,315 non-suicide related deaths reported in 2019 by the Gun Violence Archive. To date, abdominoplasty is primarily a cosmetic procedure, which involves low-lying incision, removal of excess skin, fat, and tissue, and strengthening of the abdominal wall musculature. There currently are limited reports in regard to abdominoplasty as a procedure for scar revision and abdominal deformity repair associated with gunshot related injuries. METHODS: An African American female patient, 38 years of age, presented for correction of a wide healed surgical incision and incisional hernia in the midline abdomen. This resulted from a trauma laparotomy in treatment of multiple gunshot wounds. RESULTS: Patient presented post-operatively with no complications. She had successful reduction of her incisional hernia using an anatomic repair. Her wide hypertrophic abdominal scar was excised and primarily closed. CONCLUSION: In the cases of abdominal hernia and scarring secondary to trauma laparotomies performed for gunshot wounds, abdominoplasty is an option for revision and repair.