Triangular mattress suture in abdominal diastasis to prevent epigastric bulging.

In the classic abdominoplasty, the treatment of large diastasis recti with simple or vertical mattress sutures may result in a nonaesthetic bulge. The surgeon may produce a craniocaudal bulge deformity by treating the flaccidity in the horizontal plane only, although it occurs in all directions. The authors describe the triangular mattress suture for the treatment of large diastasis recti, and demonstrate the mechanism involved in producing an epigastric bulge. Also presented is their clinical experience with 56 patients, with a 3-year follow-up, using this new plication method. The triangular mattress suture is a simple, quick, and effective way to correct abdominal diastasis and to avoid the epigastric bulge deformity with no added morbidity.