Basic Facts about Tummy Tucks
Author: Jonathan Sullivan
Tummy tuck surgery is performed thousands of times successfully each year with out any risk for patients going through the tummy tuck procedure.
If you are worried or concerned about complications associated with the tummy tuck procedure, talking to a qualified plastic surgeon that has been trained in body contouring should help alleviate many concerns you may have.
Finding a good experienced plastic surgeon should not be difficult as plastic surgery is practiced abundantly in most major cities.
It should be noted that with advancements and technology in plastic surgery, most complications following tummy tuck surgery are deemed rare.
Educating yourself about the tummy tuck procedure should be your first step in helping you choose a plastic surgeon. A good qualified plastic surgeon will take time to discuss with you procedures in place to minimize complications from tummy tuck surgery.
Ask your plastic surgeon lots of questions about the tummy tuck procedure and any complications that could develop following your tummy tuck surgery. Being well informed is the best choice you can do for yourself and should help alleviate most concerns you may have.
Listed below are some of the complications associated with the tummy tuck procedure that should be addressed with your plastic surgeon.
Allergic reaction - to the anesthesia
Infection - can be a serious problem and if bleeding occurs may develop into a hematoma
Hematoma - A collection of blood under the skin (commonly referred to a blood blister)
Blood clots - More common with women taking birth control pills.
Fat necrosis - After the abdominal wall has been stretched. Blood supply to the remaining fat and skin has been damaged. On rare occasions this may lead to necrosis of the fat cells which then become liquefied and hardened.
Swelling - Mostly lasts for a month a month to six weeks following surgery.
Bruising - Common in the abdomen area but in severe cases can extend to the surrounding skin.
Skin Loss - The abdominal wall is stretched during surgery and blood supply to the skin may be damaged which may result in death of the skin in the surrounding areas. This is more common in people with diabetes and smokers. If this occurs a skin graft may be needed.
Wound Separation - Scar tissue heals slowly and some separation may be expected, although rarely a problem it may lead to a heavier scar and slower recovery.
Some common plastic surgery techniques being utilized today to reduce complications in certain areas following your tummy tuck surgery are as follows.
Pain and nausea can be greatly reduced if your plastic surgeon injects and long lasting numbing medicine in the rectus muscle which has been tightened during the tummy tuck procedure. This is a simple procedure if performed by your plastic surgeon will most likely reduce complications from pain and expedite your recovery from plastic surgery.
Applying a topical steroid cream for a few days following surgery will significantly reduce complications from scarring, and if followed up for about six weeks your scars will fade faster and become much less noticeable.
Fluid collection under the skin following your tummy tuck surgery can be reduced by placing drains under the skin at the time surgery is performed.
Another procedure you may ask your plastic surgeon about for reducing the complications of fluid collection is by placing internal stitches between the fascia (gristle) and the underside of your fat. Most likely this will prevent any complications from fluid collection before they start.
This tummy tuck procedure may reduce the time of having your drains in place to just 2-3 days following your tummy tuck surgery
Becoming educated in the tummy tuck procedure is your responsibility and should not be avoided. Only then will you be able to make wise choice finding a qualified plastic surgeon that you will be confident with to perform your tummy tuck surgery.
After carefully choosing your plastic surgeon you will then be able to understand the procedures in place to reduce any risk of complications.
Dennis M. Driscoll
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/basic-facts-about-tummy-tucks-2905095.html
About the Author
For tips on newborn exam and newborn eyesight, visit the Caring For Newborns website.
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Tags: conditions, cure, disease, Fitness, Healing, health, medical, medicine, pills, vitamins, weight
November 30th, -0001 at 12:00 am
To tell you the truth there is nothing you can really do.If your mom is a smoker that is most likely the cause and if she stops immediately it may be possible for her body to reverse the damage that has just started to occur.Smoking decreases blood flow over time and makes it more difficult to heal.If she is not a smoker then the only thing you can do is make sure she follows all the post op instructions to the letter and keep a close eye on the area.Take her to the doctor at the first sign of anything going wrong.Her recovery time will be increased ,but you can speed it up by making sure she gets alot of rest and follows a proper diet,because the longer it takes to heal the more opportunity for further damage.I hope she gets better soon.
November 30th, -0001 at 12:00 am
Be very careful to do whatever your surgeon tells you and let him or her know if anything changes for the worse or doesn’t get better. Also, eat a very healthy diet, and get your rest. Staying up late will interfere with healing. If you are permitted, get your mild exercise such as walking. That also can promote healing but don’t do anything not permitted. Do NOT smoke or spend time around smoke.
You cannot predict your outcome, but this is not the sort of thing that normally kills people. It probably has to do with blood supply, but ask your surgeon to be sure.
November 30th, -0001 at 12:00 am
stop smoking right away, you cannot get the surgery if you cannot control yourself. are you really going to love that slow poison so much, that you let it run the rest of life? you are stronger than that, come on now.
November 30th, -0001 at 12:00 am
Yes, some hardness can be expected afterward for a time in part because of the swelling. I would definitely get back in touch with the surgeon to let him know that you really are concerned about this hard fat deposit and want to know how long it will be there for because of how much this concerns you.
January 13th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Has anyone ever developed necrosis (skin death) from a tummy tuck?
I developed necrosis after a tummy tuck two weeks ago. It started out looking like a bruise that extended from beneath my belly button down to my incision. It then turned black. My surgeon now has me putting on silvadene cream and it seems to be helping a little so far. I just don’t know what to expect from this.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
After a mastectomy,I have very hard fat deposits around the reconstructed breast. It’s comun; it’s dangerous?
I had a mastectomy and tummy tuck, at the same time and very soon I noticed hardeness around the breast. The doctor says that he has to re-shape the breast (it’s kind of flat) with another surgery. It’s planned to take effect in about 3 month, and he says that all the hardeness around the reconstructed breast is fat and it’s nothing to worry about. I heard of “fat necrosis”, but he says to me that he will see if the fat bleeds when he pinches it, means it’s not death, and can be used for the re-shape. I think that if the fat is death It will be difficult to pull it out and also the breast will look a lot smaller. He wants to minimize the other breast for “symetry”, but I think I wont’ like to “disturbe” the good breast. After all I may have to use a pad in the operated breast to fill that side side of the bra. Can somebody give me an opinion?
Thanks!!
March 27th, 2008 at 8:39 am
how can I prevent further necrosis after a tummy tuck?
my mom had a tummy tuck, and now has necrosis on the upper flap. The doc cut alot away, leaving a square hole about 3″x6″x1″ (w x l x depth) cut out of her belly skin right down to the parietal pericardium. Now the upper flap seems to be turning dark again. What should we do?
May 16th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
getting a tummy tuck in 7 days, cant stop smoking?
im going to have a tummy tuck next week but i cant stop smoking , im afraid im going to have necrosis death skin which if i stop smoking from 2morrow until thrusday do you think i have less prob to get necrosis???