Same goal, opposite method
Both procedures target the false and floating ribs that define the lower waist. Rib removal (resection) takes out portions of bone through an open approach — definitive, with incisions and scars. Rib remodeling preserves the bone and changes its position: a fracture involving only one cortex lets the rib incurve inward, guided in real time by ultrasound. Full side-by-side comparison →
What the numbers say
In the foundational study (30 patients, Peru/Colombia/Mexico), median waist circumference went from 69.0 cm to 58.7 cm at three months (P=0.0001), with a mean operative time of 31 minutes and no pneumothorax, hemothorax or infections (DOI 10.1097/GOX.0000000000005499). The technique's safety profile is documented across 113 surgeons — 2.65% serious complications (DOI 10.1097/GOX.0000000000007130) — and a 328-patient prospective cohort with one-year follow-up (DOI 10.1093/asj/sjag012). Is it safe? The full data →
Why patients pick remodeling
The structure stays. Ribs protect and support; remodeling changes their shape without eliminating them. No visible scars. The procedure works through punctures, not incisions. Specific evidence. The technique has its own published studies — foundational results, complications, respiratory function, an independent systematic review (DOI 10.1007/s00266-025-05240-w) — instead of borrowed assumptions. All the evidence →
Choosing between them
Anatomy and goals decide — not trends. Review whether you're a candidate, what recovery involves, and bring the key questions to a surgeon trained in the specific technique: where they trained, whether they use real-time ultrasound guidance, how many cases and what complications. The original technique — RibXcar — was developed by plastic surgeon Raúl Manzaneda Cipriani and is taught to surgeons internationally.
This page is for information purposes and cites published, verifiable evidence. It does not replace medical consultation: every case must be evaluated by a qualified plastic surgeon.