Tummy Tuck Procedure

A tummy tuck is considered a major plastic surgery procedure and actually requires more recovery time than many other types of plastic surgery procedures. The operating time frame needed for the surgery would depend on which type of tummy tuck you are undergoing, but for the most part, it takes approximately 1 to 5 hours to accomplish.

 Prior to entering the operating room, you will be asked to remove your garments and change into a surgical gown. You will also be asked to remove any jewelry and dentures, if you have them. You may enter the operating room in a wheelchair, or you may choose to walk into the room by yourself.

Before the actual surgery starts, your surgeon may draw a mark with a marking pen on your skin. This will be the primary incision line. While lying down, your skin will be cleaned with an antiseptic. An anesthesiologist will administer an appropriate anesthesia. Remember to request that a board-certified anesthesiologist be present for your general and monitored anesthesia care. In some states, registered nurses, usually a nurse anesthetist, may administer the anesthesia. During and after the induction of anesthesia, your surgeon and other healthcare professionals involved with your process will make sure that you are comfortable and that your anesthesia has taken effect. Throughout the process, your vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, etc.), will be monitored to make sure that you remain stable.

The head and foot of the operating bed may be elevated to approximately 15 to 20 degrees to make your torso more accessible to the surgeon, and to decrease abdominal tension, which makes the surgery easier. Your surgeon will choose either a short, low, transverse incision for a mini-, or partial tummy tuck, or a longer, transverse, vertical incision for a standard tummy tuck. The typical area that will be exposed usually extends from one end of your tummy to the other, depending on what type of tummy tuck you are receiving. The umbilicus, commonly known as your “belly button,” is preserved and will be repositioned in the abdominal wall after the abdominal muscles are tightened, and excess skin, subcutaneous tissue, and fat are removed. Sometimes, depending on the extent of damage to your skin around your belly button, the belly button may be too stretched and flattened, making it unable to save. In this case, the surgeon will either create another one at that time, or most likely, have you return a few weeks later to recreate the belly button.

Following the tightening of the skin, the wound will be closed and abdomen should be flat and smooth. The scar will be sore and raised after surgery, but it will flatten and fade with time. The surgeon will attach a drainage suction tube to your abdomen, apply bulky pressure dressing, and place an abdominal binder around your stomach to prevent the formation of blood clots.

After the procedure, you will be transferred into the recovery room for further evaluation and monitoring. For about 24 hours following your surgery, you will be restricted to complete bed rest. The head and foot of your bed may be flexed during this time. You will be encouraged to walk around by the second day, even for only a few minutes, to avoid blood clots and promote healing of your wounds. Tummy tucks are usually same-day surgeries, and some patients can go home within a few hours after surgery if they have a good caregiver or nursing assistant at home, while some may stay in the hospital or operating facility overnight. Usually, the more complicated the surgery, the more likely that you will be encouraged to spend a night in the hospital or operating facility.