Tummy Tuck Risks and Safety

By Gary Motykie, MD

The tummy tuck is a major plastic surgery procedure designed to create a firmer, flatter abdominal area. As long as tummy tuck surgery is performed by a fully trained and experienced plastic surgeon, it can produce highly desirable outcomes. However, certain risks and complications are typically associated with tummy tuck, as with any other surgical procedure.

The surgeon will inform the patient about the potential risks during the pre-operative consultation. The first goal of a responsible surgeon will be to help the patient make a well-considered decision. Dedicated cosmetic surgeon Dr. Gary Motykie provides tummy tuck to patients in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and surrounding communities.

Potential Complications

Poor Reaction to Anesthesia

Tummy tuck plastic surgery procedure is usually performed with the patient under general anesthesia. In rare cases, a patient may have an adverse reaction to anesthesia. An experienced anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will be present in the operating room throughout the surgery to monitor the condition.

Blood Clotting

In exceptional circumstances, or in cases where the patient has a tendency of clot formation, a blood clot may occur inside a blood vessel. This can obstruct the blood flow, and in very rare cases, the clot may travel to the lungs, heart or brain, posing a serious health hazard.

Infection

The cosmetic surgeon should ensure that the tummy tuck procedure is performed at a surgical facility with a completely sterile operating environment. After the surgery, the patient should avoid any contact with dirt in the incision areas. Antibiotics may also be prescribed for a few days to minimize the risk of infection.

Slow Healing

Pain, swelling, bruising and tenderness will usually resolve in about four to six weeks following a full traditional tummy tuck surgery. However, a few patients may heal slowly and continue to experience discomfort after six weeks. Smokers should be particularly careful, and refrain from any use of tobacco for a certain period before and after the surgery to minimize the risk of delayed healing.

Unfavorable Scarring

Some amount of scarring is unavoidable in tummy tuck surgery. But a skilled surgeon can place the incisions in discreet locations to minimize scarring. However, in a few cases, the scars may be more apparent due to a variety of factors. Dedicated cosmetic surgeon Dr. Motykie receives patients from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and nearby areas for tummy tuck surgery.

Safety Information

In 2010, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) conducted an extensive survey over a period of nine months, which involved 3,681 tummy tuck patients. Complications were found in 163 patients, revealing a complication rate of 4.7 percent.

Hemorrhage and infection were the most common complications, while fluid overload, hypoxia, pulmonary dysfunction, hypotension and pulmonary embolism comprised the rare complications.

Even though tummy tuck is a major surgery, it has a relatively low rate of complications compared to various other cosmetic surgery procedures. If the procedure is performed by a fully qualified and experienced plastic surgeon, the rate of complications will significantly drop further.

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