What is a tummy tuck?

A tummy tuck is an abdominoplasty or removal of loose or excess skin of the abdomen along with translocation of the belly button to the desired position and tightening of the rectus abdominus muscles.

How is a tummy tuck performed?

The procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia either within the hospital or in an outpatient setting.

• Mini-abdominoplasty tightens the lower abdominal wall skin only (shortest scar).
• Modified abdominoplasty addresses conditions where just the muscle wall or just the abdominal skin requires repair.
• Standard abdominoplasty tightens all of the abdominal wall skin and muscles.
• Extended abdominoplasty tightens the abdomen and the flanks or sides (longest scar extending around the flanks onto lower back.)
• Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty also removes excess vertical skin and results in additional scarring but is helpful in patients after massive weight loss surgery I typically recontour the flanks with liposuction during the abdominoplasty to make the transition to the tighter abdomen smooth.

What are the benefits of a tummy tuck?

Candidates have loose or sagging abdominal wall skin frequently associated with abnormal relaxation of the anterior abdominal wall muscles (often secondary to multiple pregnancies or prior surgery). The intended results are a smoother flatter abdomen and tightening of abdominal muscles.

Will a person have a scar after the tummy tuck?

Yes, liposuction is the only body contouring surgery without much of a scar but it has its limits. Loose skin must be removed and repaired and therefore leave a scar. The amount of scar depends on the needs for a particular patient.

How much does a tummy tuck cost?

It can range anywhere from 4000 - 12000 depending on technique, length of time to be observed in hospital, and other variables.

How long does tummy tuck surgery take?

It can take from 1.5 - 4 hours depending on the plan.

Is anesthesia used during the tummy tuck procedure?

I often employ general anesthesia, but a deep sedation can be used in certain cases with local anesthetic.

Are there risks and complications to a tummy tuck?

The main risks of a tummy tuck are minor and include 1. minor asymmetry 2. dog ears More significant risks are rare but do include 1. Bleeding 2. Infection 3. Unacceptable scarring 4. Damage to intraabdominal structures 5. Fat necrosis 6. Pubic distortion.