The tummy tuck surgery is a procedure that removes excess skin, fat and tissue from the abdominal area. The skin is then tightened and closed with stitches. This procedure can be performed on men or women of any age who have excess skin after weight loss or pregnancy. It can also be used to treat loose or stretched skin in the abdomen.
The tummy tuck surgery is done through small incisions in the belly button or above the pubic hairline. Anesthesia is used during surgery to keep you comfortable during the procedure. The tummy tuck surgery takes about two hours to perform and may require three to five days of recovery time at home before you can return to work or school. You will need someone to help you around the house during this time because of soreness and swelling caused by this procedure
Read on to learn more about How Dangerous Is Tummy Tuck Surgery, Tummy Tuck Complications Years Later and Tummy Tuck Surgery Side Effects
How Dangerous Is Tummy Tuck Surgery
A tummy tuck might sound like a simple procedure, but it is major surgery. The medical term for a tummy tuck is abdominoplasty. It combines cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery. During the procedure, the surgeon removes excess fat and skin. The surgeon may also use stitches to tighten the stomach muscles. You can get some benefits from a tummy tuck. But, it’s important to consider the risks that come with this surgery.
Identify the Benefits
The purpose of a tummy tuck is to remove extra fat and skin from your belly and to repair loose belly muscles. The result can be a flatter, smoother and firmer belly. Most people choose to have a tummy tuck to look better and to feel better about the way they look. If you are having a tummy tuck for this reason, make sure you are doing it for yourself—not to make someone else feel better about you.
You may also benefit from a tummy tuck if you have an abdominal hernia or an apron of fat called a panniculus. An abdominal hernia can occur when the intestine pokes through a weak spot in your belly muscles. This can be uncomfortable. It may also be dangerous if the contents of the intestine get trapped. This is called a strangulated hernia. A panniculus hanging down over your lower belly can be a source of skin infection and irritation.
Understand the Risks
Your chances of having a complication from a tummy tuck are low. Still, the risk is higher than with other types of cosmetic surgeries. Three big complications to talk with your doctor about are bleeding, infection, and deep vein thrombosis. Studies show that bleeding and infection are the most common problems.
All types of abdominal surgery increase the risk that a blood clot may form in one of the deep veins of your leg. This is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The main danger of DVT is the blood clot can break loose and travel to your heart or lungs. Ask your surgeon about this risk and what you can do to lower the risk.
Other possible risks for tummy tuck include:
- Fluid buildup under the belly skin
- Poor or slow healing of the wound
- Numbness or color changes of the belly skin
- Scarring
- A poor result, requiring additional surgery
- Pain that continues after recovery from surgery
Getting the Best Results
You can increase the benefits and reduce the risks of a tummy tuck by going over everything in advance with your surgeon. Ask what your surgeon will do to prevent or minimize the risks. Also, ask what you can do to reduce your risks.
Here are some tips:
- If you are a smoker, quit smoking before surgery. Not smoking after surgery will also help with recovery.
- If you have diabetes, make sure your diabetes is in good control before surgery.
- If you are pregnant, postpone your surgery until after your pregnancy.
- A tummy tuck is not a substitute for weight loss and exercise. Try to get your weight under control before surgery.
- Tell your surgeon about all the medications and herbal supplements you take. You may be able to reduce your risk of bleeding by stopping some of these medications before your operation.
Tummy Tuck Complications Years Later
Abdominoplasty—sometimes called “tummy tuck”—has a higher risk of major complications than other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, reports a study in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Complication risk is particularly high for the large proportion of patients undergoing abdominoplasty in combination with other procedures, according to an analysis of nationwide data by Dr. Julian Winocour of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, and colleagues. They write, “Combined procedures can significantly increase complication rates and should be considered carefully in higher-risk patients.”
Database Shows High Risk of Major Complications after Abdominoplasty
The researchers assessed abdominoplasty complication rates and risk factors using the nationwide CosmetAssure database. CosmetAssure is an insurance program providing coverage for complications related to cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, which are typically not covered by health insurance.
The study included nearly 25,000 abdominoplasties performed between 2008 and 2013, representing about 14 percent of all procedures in the database. Abdominoplasty is done to remove excess skin and tissue from the abdomen, to create a smoother, firmer abdominal profile.
Ninety-seven percent of abdominoplasty patients were women; the average age was 42 years. Sixty-five percent of patients underwent abdominoplasty combined with other cosmetic surgery procedures.
Overall, major complications occurred in four percent of patients undergoing abdominoplasty—significantly higher than the 1.4 percent rate after other cosmetic surgery procedures. (The database didn’t include less-serious complications that can be managed in the clinic). Hematomas (blood collections) were the most common major complication, followed by infections, blood clots (venous thromboembolism), and lung-related problems.
Combined procedures were a key risk factor for complications. Compared to the 3.1 percent rate with abdominoplasty alone, risk increased when abdominoplasty was combined with other procedures: up to 10.4 percent when abdominoplasty was combined with body contouring plus liposuction. After adjustment for other factors, the relative risk of major complications was 50 percent higher with combined procedures.
Other risk factors for major complications included male sex, age 55 years or older, and obesity. Risk was lower when abdominoplasty was performed in an office-based surgical suite, compared to a hospital or surgical center. Dr. Winocour comments, “Surgeons often refer patients with major illnesses, such as heart disease, to hospitals, which may be responsible for this observed trend in complications.”
Diabetes and smoking—two major surgical risk factors—were not associated with a significant increase in complications after abdominoplasty. “That likely reflected Board-certified plastic surgeons’ practice of not offering abdominoplasty to poorly controlled diabetics and recommending strict smoking cessation for at least four weeks before and after surgery,” Dr. Wincour adds.
Abdominoplasty is the sixth most common cosmetic surgical procedure performed in the United States, with more than 117,000 procedures performed in 2014, according to ASPS statistics. The number of abdominoplasties has increased in recent years—partly because of the increased number of patients undergoing body contouring surgery to remove excess skin and tissue after massive weight loss.
The study adds to previous evidence that abdominoplasty carries a higher complication rate than other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. “Although the overall incidence of major complications is low, such complications can leave a potentially devastating cosmetic outcome and pose a significant financial burden on the patient and surgeon,” the researchers write.
They draw special attention to the risk associated with multiple procedures—especially since nearly two-thirds of patients in the database underwent other cosmetic procedures combined with abdominoplasty. Dr. Winocour and colleagues suggest that some patients at high risk of complications might be better off undergoing staged rather than combination procedures.
Tummy Tuck Surgery Side Effects
It’s the best option for people who have lost a lot of weight due to pregnancy or bariatric surgery. Tummy tuck surgery, which Dr. Kimberly Henry has performed successfully on countless patients in and around the San Francisco area, can do wonders for your appearance.
Inevitably, there will be some fallout from any surgical procedure. In light of this, we’d like to go over some of the more common tummy tuck surgery side effects so that patients can set reasonable expectations for their recovery.
Learn More About the Abdominoplasty Procedure
During a tummy tuck, three incisions are made in an anchor pattern around the lower abdomen:
A single, lateral incision is made from hipbone to hipbone below the belly button.
A cut made in a circle just below the navel
Connection of the two prior incisions with a vertical one.
A cosmetic surgeon can improve a patient’s body contour by making these incisions and then removing excess skin, repositioning underlying tissues, and tightening the remaining skin.
General Anesthesia and Its Consequences
Tummy tuck recovery often includes issues associated with the general anesthesia used during the procedure. Patients waking up from a general anesthetic often feel groggy, nauseous, dizzy, and exhausted. Patients should not drive or operate heavy machinery for at least 24 hours after a tummy tuck because of these normal side effects.
The Pain and Discomfort of a Tummy Tuck
It is normal for patients to experience some degree of pain and discomfort after surgery. This is most noticeable around the belly button, which is where the work was done. There will be a greater degree of pain and discomfort in the first few days after surgery, but as the patient recovers, they should feel less and less of both.
Contusions After Abdominoplasty
Because of the manipulation of the abdominal region and the resulting disruption of the blood vessels, postoperative bruising is not uncommon. Bruising typically worsens in the days immediately following surgery and then fades over the following three weeks to one month.
Postoperative Belly Button Lift Swelling
Additionally, swelling is common and actually indicates healthy healing. Since the accumulation of fluid can be significant, drainage tubes are frequently kept around specific incision sites to help filter fluid out of the body and minimize swelling. Large swelling typically subsides within a month, though minor swelling may persist for several months.
How to Avoid Bleeding After a Tummy Tuck
Any major operation carries the risk of blood clots forming afterward. This is especially accurate with respect to clots in the leg. Patients are encouraged to walk around a bit each day while they are recuperating to reduce the risk of developing potentially fatal blood clots. This reduces the risk of blood clots forming in the legs and elsewhere in the body by increasing circulation.
Your Scars After Surgery: What You Need to Know
Scarring from a tummy tuck can be quite visible, but fortunately it can be hidden by many types of clothing, including bras, shirts, and swimwear. Scars typically lighten and become less noticeable with time, but everyone’s skin heals a little differently.
Tummy Tuck: Preventing Potential Problems
Tummy tuck patients should take special care to adhere to all postoperative guidelines to reduce their risk of developing complications. This provides the best possible environment for recuperation after surgery. These postoperative guidelines can be discussed in greater detail during our consultation.