Use of SERI Surgical Scaffold for Soft-tissue Support in a Massive Weight Loss Patient

Patients with histories of massive weight loss (MWL) often have compromised skin, as evidenced by stretch marks and stria. In a similar fashion to which obesity traumatizes the dermis, the increased load on the abdominal fascia compromises its mechanical strength and integrity. Although the use of mesh to add strength and contour to these patients is seldom described in the literature, the literature does describe weakened abdominal wall components as a known cause of hernias and bulges after abdominoplasties.1–5 Furthermore, obese patients have a higher risk of developing incisional hernias after abdominal surgery.6 This is a report of the first use of SERI Surgical Scaffold (SERI; Allergan, Inc.), a silk-based long-term bioresorbable scaffold, to provide soft-tissue support to the abdominal fascia. SERI is a 510(k)-cleared scaffold indicated for use as a transitory scaffold for soft-tissue support and repair where weaknesses exist. This report investigates the use of SERI to provide support and to enhance fascial integrity in a patient undergoing circumferential body lift.