A “tummy tuck,” also known as abdominoplasty, can be done as either cosmetic or reconstructive surgery. It can be used to tighten muscles that have become loose or split as a result of pregnancy, or it can be used to remove loose fat and extra skin from the abdominal region following significant weight loss.
According to the information provided by the ASPS, the tummy tuck was the sixth most popular cosmetic surgical operation performed in the United States in 2014. This procedure accounted for more than 117,000 procedures that were carried out in 2014. The number of patients undergoing body contouring surgery to remove excess skin and tissue following considerable weight reduction has led to an increase in the number of abdominoplasties performed in recent years. This is partially responsible for the increase in the number of patients.
Benefits Of Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
Most frequently, an abdominoplasty will:
- Strengthen weaker or broken muscles.
- Assist in reducing discomfort.
- Enhance bladder performance.
- Minimize skin infections and itchiness brought on by excess skin.
- To produce a firmer and smoother profile, alter the form and tone of the abdomen
How Is Tummy Tuck Surgery Performed?
A qualified plastic surgeon handles Tummy Tuck procedures. The first step is to have a consultation with a doctor, who will recommend various tests to determine your current state of health. However, we will outline the remainder of the procedure for you!
The main details on tummy tuck surgery are provided below.
Now that everything is in order, you can schedule your plastic surgery.
Keeping in mind that only facilities renowned and skilled in doing this type of treatment should perform abdominoplasty surgeries.
The area is still cleaned and the incision lines are marked before beginning the abdominal operation. The medical staff then performs the subsequent steps sequentially:
- Above the pubic region, the surgeon creates semicircular incisions.
- The abdominal muscles are made visible by separating the skin from the fat layer and peeling back the tissue toward the rib cage.
- In order to create a flat, firm abdominal wall, the surgeon will suture the abdominal muscles together if they are spaced widely apart.
- Over the abdominal wall, the surgeon stretches the skin and fat that has come loose. The surgeon makes a tiny incision to reveal the belly button once more because it is hidden by this layer of skin but otherwise unaltered.
- Fat and extra skin are eliminated. Following suturing of the incisions, dressings and bandages are applied on them.
- During the process of healing, drains are inserted into the abdomen to avoid the accumulation of fluid. These drains are left in place for two or three days.
Tummy tuck and stitches
Three different types of sutures are used when doing a tummy tuck. There are sutures that are permanent, as the name suggests. These sutures ought to last you for the rest of your life. The rectus abdominis or six-pack muscles are plicated or tightened using sutures. These long-lasting sutures result in a flat tummy for many years. The remaining sutures can be absorbed. Typically, three sutures are utilized during a tummy tuck. It’s common to utilize PDS sutures. Normally, PDS sutures fall out after 238 days. In addition to that, Vicryl sutures are frequently utilized. After a period of seventy days, Vicryl sutures disintegrate. In addition to that, monocryl sutures are utilized. Monocryl sutures disintegrate at 119 days.
Are the tummy tuck sutures absorbable?
In a tummy tuck procedure, 98% of the sutures that are utilized are absorbable. In order to re-approximate the layers of skin, absorbable sutures are utilized. When re-approximating two separate fascial layers, permanent sutures are employed to do the job. A layer of tight connective tissue called fascia commonly divides anatomic components and wraps around muscles. Fascia can also be found surrounding blood vessels.
When re-approximating Scarpa’s fascia, it is common practice to utilize sutures that are intended to be permanent. Additionally, permanent sutures are utilized in order to strengthen the rectus abdominis muscles, which helps to flatten the abdominal wall muscles. The rectus muscle laxity and rectus diastasis are both corrected by this row of rectus abdominis sutures (gapping in the rectus muscle). Laxity of the rectus muscle and diastasis of the rectus muscle are common side effects of pregnancy as well as weight increase and subsequent weight loss. In most cases, the rectus abdominis muscle receives two or more layers of these permanent sutures from the attending physician. These sutures are designed to be permanent and are put all the way from the xiphoid (the bottom of the sternum) to the top of the pubic region. Permanent sutures have been placed in the rectus muscle, thus they do not need to be removed.
After a tummy tuck, do any sutures need to be removed?
Sutures are required occasionally in parts of the skin that do not match up properly. These sutures are removed one to two weeks after the tummy tuck procedure has been completed. In most cases, the removal of these very little sutures does not involve any discomfort. Additionally, stitches need to be removed from the area around the drain. In most cases, one or two sutures are utilized to secure the drain to the skin after it has been surgically implanted. When the drains are taken out, the sutures holding the drains in place are also taken out.
What are the symptoms of torn internal stitches after tummy tuck?
A tummy tuck, like any other type of surgery, carries with it the risk of problems; also, your body will require some time to recover after the procedure. You should prepare to be hospitalized for a few days, or longer if there are issues, and give your body up to six weeks to recover completely. The following are some signs of complications following a tummy tuck as well as symptoms of ruptured internal stitches:
- Severe pain in the incision
- Fever
- Incision looks infected (spreading redness, pain) and large red area
- Incision looks infected (spreading redness, pain) and on face
- Red streak runs from the incision
- Stitch (or staple) came out early and wound has re-opened
- You feel weak or very sick
Sometimes a stitch won’t entirely disintegrate after it’s been removed. Typically, this takes place when a portion of the stitch is left visible on the surface of the body. In that location, the fluids of the body are unable to dissolve and destroy the stitch, therefore it maintains its integrity. After the wound has been closed, it will be simple for the physician to cut away the excess piece of stitch.
complications after tummy tuck
According to the findings of a study that looked at data from the entire country, the proportion of patients who undergo abdominoplasty in conjunction with other surgeries raises the risk of complications to an especially high level. According to several studies, combination procedures can dramatically increase the risk of complications and should only be undertaken with caution in patients who are already at a higher risk.
When researchers analyzed the complication rates and risk factors associated with tummy tuck procedures using the nationwide CosmetAssure database, which is an insurance program providing coverage for complications related to cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, which are typically not covered by health insurance, they discovered that major complications occurred in four percent of patients undergoing tummy tuck procedures. This rate is significantly higher than the rate after other cosmetic surgery procedures, which is only 1.4 percent. Hematomas, which are collections of blood, were the most common type of significant complication. This was followed by infections, blood clots (venous thromboembolism), and lung-related complications.
Combining surgical treatments was a significant contributor to the increased risk of complications. When a tummy tuck was combined with additional treatments, the risk climbed from 3.1 percent, which was the rate when a tummy tuck was performed on its own, to as high as 10.4 percent when a tummy tuck was paired with body contouring and liposuction. After taking into account all of the other potential influences, it was found that combined operations carried a relative risk of significant complications that was fifty percent higher.
Other characteristics that increased the likelihood of significant difficulties were being male, being at least 55 years old, and being overweight. In comparison to being performed in a hospital or surgical center, having a tummy tuck done in an office-based surgical suite was associated with a lower risk.
Diabetes and smoking, which are considered to be two of the most significant surgical risk factors, were not shown to be significantly associated with an increased risk of problems following tummy tuck surgery. This is probably a reflection of the practice of Board-certified plastic surgeons who do not provide tummy tucks to diabetics who have poor control of their condition and who counsel quitting smoking completely at least four weeks before and after surgery.
