Full tummy tuck - Full abdominoplasty

Full tummy tuck: new technique - safe surgery!

 In the past a full tummy tuck (full abdominoplasty) was a large procedure. The operation required a general anaesthetic, a few days in hospital and often a blood transfusion. The recovery process of such an operation seriously affected your lifestyle for a considerable period of time.

New surgical techniques have made a full tummy tuck a great deal safer and far less invasive:

• We first anaesthetise the area to be treated using a special liquid substance.
• As a result you feel absolutely nothing during the operation.
• A light anaesthetic is then sufficient, and you feel no pain at all.
• This means that a general anaesthetic, with its often unpleasant side-effects is unnecessary.
• A few hours after the operation you feel fit and well.
• You stay at the Wellness Kliniek overnight for post-operative care.

Because there is minimal blood loss and the fact that a long-lasting general anaesthetic is avoided, several different aesthetic procedures can be performed in one operation. So a full tummy tuck can be combined with a breast augmentation.  

Transposition of the navel

• If a lot of skin is removed then a new hole has to be made for the navel in the tightened skin.
• The navel is still attached to the underlying layer of muscle.
• The navel is moved to its natural position. 

Scarring after a full tummy tuck

• The location and size of the scar differs with every operation, and is discussed in detail in advance.
• The scars are positioned where they are least noticeable.
• They are carefully stitched with minimum tension.
• Usually the scar is hidden and runs from the pubic hair towards the crease in the groin or hips.
• Scars resulting from liposculpture, to remove fat, are minimal (3 mm) and barely noticeable.
• Scars tend to look red and lumpy for the first 3 months.
• A year later they usually settle down and start to fade.
• The natural scar maturing process can sometimes be accelerated by using scar oil.
• If necessary your surgeon will prescribe some scar oil and / or vitamins for you. 

A full tummy tuck - abdominoplasty

Consultation:

During the consultation with the plastic surgeon all aspects of the treatment will be discussed: which stomach correction method is best for you, the expected results, possible risks and aftercare.The doctor will assess whether you are a suitable candidate for a full tummy tuck - abdominoplasty.

Anaesthetic:

A full tummy tuck can be perfomed under intravenous sedation: you are asleep and feel no pain at all and are spared the often unpleasant side-effects of a general anaesthetic. Intravenous sedation with infiltration anaesthetic, in contrast to a general anaesthetic with machine-controlled breathing, makes surgery safer, the hospital stay shorter and the post-operative recovery period faster.

Treatment:

Before the doctor starts the tummy tuck procedure he will carefully mark the area to be treated. The places where the incisions are to be made will also be carefully marked.

Full tummy tuck surgery lasts between 2 and 2,5 hours, depending on the nature of the procedure: skin tightening, fat removal, abdominal muscle correction.

After the treatment the stomach is wrapped in a bandage. There may be drains (thin tubes) leading from the bandages to drain off any fluid from the wound.These drains may need to stay in place for several days.

You are taken to the recovery room with heart monitor surveillance. You can usually return to your room an hour later. The following day you can return home or to your hotel.

Aftercare and Recovery:

After the procedure you are given special aftercare instructions. It is very important that someone comes to meet you because you are not permitted to drive yourself after having a stomach correction.

You will be individually advised to wear the stomach bandage (girdle) or compression garment for between 2-6 weeks. The compression bandages provide support: which will feel comfortable. The girdle ensures that the skin around the stomach becomes nice and tight. 

• The scars must be kept dry until the stitches are removed.
• The external stitches are removed about 12 days after the procedure.
• You may then take a luke-warm shower but not a bath.
• The subcutaneous stitches are self-dissolving.
• After the procedure you will be given a 3-day course of antibiotics.
• Allow yourself a minimum of 2 weeks to rest after the procedure.
• The scar must not be put under any pressure.
• It is best to remain lying down or sitting with your knees bent.
• 2 weeks after the procedure you can resume light daily activities.
• You are encouraged to be active as soon as possible, as long as you are not in any pain of course.
• After 6-8 weeks you can resume most sports and work-related activities.

It is important that the scar is not put under any pressure for a few weeks after full tummy tuck surgery. For the first 3 months after treatment the scar will be red and lumpy; after this the redness will start to fade. After 12 to 18 months the scars are fully healed, until this time it is important to protect your scar from the sun.

Risks and Complications

Thanks to modern sedation methods and new surgical techniques, complications are rare. Dangerous side-effects such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lung) are traditionally linked to a general anaesthetic and generally do not occur with modern intravenous sedation.

Intestinal blockages must be medically treated. This is the main cause of a "swollen stomach" after surgery.

General surgical complications which can occur after any operation are: post-operative bleeding, infections, sensory disturbance, a wound which doesn't heal properly or an allergic reaction. Specific complications associated with a tummy tuck are: an irregular skin surface, hypertrophic scar formation, skin discolouration after bruising and water retention. It is important that you stop smoking before the operation to prevent tissue necrosis.

Patients with serious health problems such as obesity, intestinal obstruction, hormonal imbalances or who have a history of steroid use, run a high risk of tissue necrosis or serious infection.

You must take into account that the sensation in parts of the skin around the stomach will feel different for a while and often remains reduced. The scars often stretch because of the pressure exerted on them.