Abdominoplasty

What is Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin or fat from your abdomen. Your surgeon may also tighten your abdominal muscles. This surgery is also called a tummy tuck.

You may need this surgery if your belly sags because of pregnancy or extreme weight loss from surgery or dieting.

Tell a health care provider about:

• Any allergies you have.
• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
• Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
• Any blood disorders you have.
• Any surgeries you have had.
• Any medical conditions you have.
• Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.

What are the risks?

Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems may occur, including:

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Allergic reactions to medicines.
• Damage to other structures or organs.
• Fluid buildup under the belly skin (seroma).
• Skin loss or scarring.
• Changes in skin color.
• Pain or numbness.
• A blood clot that forms in a vein and travels to the heart or lungs.

What happens before the procedure?

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
• Ask your health care provider about:
  • Changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
  • Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood.Do nottake these medicines before your procedure if your health care provider instructs you not to.
• Ask your health care provider how your surgical site will be marked or identified.
• You may be given antibiotic medicine to help prevent infection.
• You may have exams or tests. These may include blood and urine tests.
• Plan to have someone take you home after the procedure.
• If you will be going home right after the procedure, plan to have someone with you for 24 hours.

What happens during the procedure?

• To reduce your risk of infection:
  • Your health care team will wash or sanitize their hands.
  • Your skin will be washed with soap.
• An IV tube will be inserted into one of your veins.
• You will be given one or more of the following:
  • A medicine to help you relax (sedative).
  • A medicine to numb the area (local anesthetic).
  • A medicine to make you fall asleep (general anesthetic).
• Your surgeon will make an incision along the lower part of your abdomen. The length of the incision depends on how much skin and fat will be removed.
• If your procedure will extend above your belly button, an incision will also be made around your belly button.
• A flap of your belly skin will be lifted away from the muscles of your abdomen.
• Fat under the flap will be removed.
• The muscles of your abdomen may be tightened with stitches (sutures).
• The skin flap will be pulled down. Excess skin at the bottom of the flap will be removed.
• A new opening for your belly button may be made in the flap.
• The flap will be placed back in position. The incision will be closed with sutures, skin glue, or adhesive tape.
• A tube may be inserted through the flap to drain excess fluid from your surgical area. This tube may be taped to your abdomen to hold it in place.
• A bandage (dressing) will be placed over your incision.

The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.

What happens after the procedure?

• Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored often until the medicines you were given have worn off.
• You may continue to receive fluids and medicines through an IV tube until you can eat and drink on your own.
• You will be given pain medicine as needed.
• You may have to wear compression stockings. These stockings help to prevent blood clots and reduce swelling in your legs.
• Do not drive for 24 hours if you received a sedative.

Abdominoplasty, Care After

These instructions provide you with information about caring for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. Your treatment has been planned according to current medical practices, but problems sometimes occur. Call your health care provider if you have any problems or questions after your procedure.

What can I expect after the procedure?

After the procedure, it is common to have:

• Pain and soreness in your abdomen.
• A small amount of blood or clear fluid coming from your incision.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your health care provider.Do notstop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.

Driving

• Do notdrive for 24 hours if you received a sedative.
• Do notdrive or operate heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.

Incision and drainage tube care

• Keep your incision area clean and dry.
• Follow instructions from your health care provider about how to take care of your incision. Make sure you:
  • Wash your hands with soap and water before you change your bandage (dressing). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Change your dressing as told by your health care provider.
  • Leave stitches (sutures), skin glue, or adhesive strips in place. These skin closures may need to be in place for 2 weeks or longer. If adhesive strip edges start to loosen and curl up, you may trim the loose edges. Do notremove adhesive strips completely unless your health care provider tells you to do that.
• Check your incision area every day for signs of infection. Check for:
  • More redness, swelling, or pain.
  • More fluid or blood.
  • Warmth.
  • Pus or a bad smell.
• If you have a drainage tube, follow instructions from your health care provider about how to care for and empty the tube.
  • Do notremove the tube yourself.
  • Write down how much fluid drains each day. Note any changes in how the fluid looks or smells.

Lifestyle

• Do notuse any tobacco products, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 drink per day for nonpregnant women and 2 drinks per day for men. One drink equals 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1½ oz of hard liquor.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Do notstand straight up for 3–7 days after your procedure or for as long as told by your health care provider. You can help your incision to heal faster if you avoid standing straight up.
• Do notengage in intense physical activity until your health care provider says that you can.
• Do notlift anything that is heavier than 10 lb (4.5 kg) until your health care provider says that you can.

Eating and drinking

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
• Drink enough fluid to keep your urine clear or pale yellow.

General instructions

• Do nottake baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your health care provider approves.
• When lying down, keep your head and knees raised (elevated) above the level of your heart. You may stack pillows underneath your head and your legs to do this.
• If directed, apply ice to the injured area:
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• Wear compression stockings as told by your health care provider. These stockings help to prevent blood clots and reduce swelling in your legs.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have more redness, swelling, or pain around your incision area.
• You have more fluid or blood coming from your incision area.
• Your incision feels warm to the touch.
• You have a fever.

Get help right away if:

• You have severe pain.
• Your incision starts to break open.
• You have pus or a bad smell coming from your incision area.
• You have yellow or green fluid draining from your incision.