TUMMY TUCK, ABDOMINOPLASTY

The intervention of abdominoplasty involves the removal of the skin and of the fat in excess from the abdomen and is often associated to remodeling of the abdominal muscles that may have got loosen following a pregnancy or from an increase in weight.

Surgery involves the removal of any tissue between the umbilicus and pubis, navel repositioning and the formation of a long residual scar above the pubis and extended between the two bony protrusions of the hips.

Because of the major scarring involved, this surgical approach is mostly carried on the so-called "pendulous abdomens", namely when the excess skin and fat creates a sort of "abdominal apron", or when the abdomen skin shows evident stretch marks that the patient wants to remove.

Often, if the abdomen skin does not show aesthetic irregularities, ultrasonic liposuction, through two small incisions at the pubic area, allows the removal of important quantities of fat, by getting at the same time the retraction of excess skin.
More frequently, especially in women who after pregnancy show muscular relaxation and excess skin underneath the umbilical zone - mini-Abdominoplasty is performed, which through a brief supra-pubic incision similar to a c-section allows to remove excess skin and reshape muscles without moving the navel.

Examination
Upon medical examination, the position of the abdominal muscles, the appearance of the skin, the presence of scars, the amount of fat to be removed are evaluated. Based on these factors will the patient will be proposed a complete Abdominoplasty (a tummy tuck) or mini-ultrasonic liposuction.

Surgery
Complete Abdominoplasty is performed under general anesthesia and lasts approximately three hours. Generally the patient remains hospitalized for two days, getting up early the first day after surgery, making sure to walk slightly bent forward. In the case of a mini-Abdominoplasty, postoperative course is much faster: the patient is discharged the day after surgery and feeling of abdominal discomfort is greatly reduced.

After-surgery
For about a week after surgery, the patient must wear a corset. The outer stitches are removed after about ten days. Sports activities can be resumed after about a month.

Potential complications
Potential complications Potential complications associated with Abdominoplasty are those common to all surgical interventions, such as the appearance of a hematoma or an infection.
To prevent this, some measures are adopted, such as not taking anti-inflammatory drugs in the week before the operation, to avoid an increased risk of bleeding, and taking antibiotics after surgery.
In addition, complete abdominoplasty requires drainage that will be removed the day after surgery. When remarkable amounts of tissue are removed, necrosis areas may appear usually at the scar.
Their appearance increases healing time and the appearance of scars of minor aesthetic quality. However, it is impossible to predict the very quality of scars even without complications: in spite of the fact that sutures are made so to minimize any possible mark, in some patients scarring is not optimum quality, and scars may remain visible at a distance of time.

BEFORE AND AFTER