What You Need to Know About Abdominoplasty (Abdominal Stretching Surgery)

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes fat and skin with surgery, tightens the appearance of the abdomen and improves the integrity of the abdominal muscles. This surgery is one of the few surgeries that can be considered by those who want to weaken the abdominal section, as can be desired after significant weight loss. Although the results of this surgical procedure are not guaranteed to be long-term, avoiding excessive weight gain after abdominoplasty helps to achieve a flat stomach.

What is Abdominal Tension Surgery?

Tummy tuck surgery flattens the appearance of the abdomen by cutting the excess skin and fat and stitching the skin again. The procedure may also involve surgically fixing the underlying abdominal muscles to give the look and feel of a tight core. This major surgery uses a minimally invasive laparoscopic technique (with the aid of one or more small incisions and a camera to visualize structures) or a more comprehensive open method (involving one or more incisions that give the surgeon visibility and access to the surgery). This process is done in two ways;

• Complete abdominoplasty: Usually involves a large abdominal incision, extensive removal of fat and skin, and possibly creating a new belly.
• Mini (Partial) abdominoplasty: A small incision may involve a larger tissue resection and may not include an incision around the navel.

Reverse tummy tuck is a partial tummy tuck procedure where loose skin is removed from the upper part of the abdomen. Sometimes partial abdominoplasty is used to remove skin and fat localized only in the lower abdomen. When the double rectus abdominis muscles that descend from the front of the abdomen are separated, this is defined as diastasis recti. These muscles can be stitched together to tighten the appearance of the stomach as part of a full or partial tummy tuck procedure. Intravenous sedation or general anesthesia is required for any tummy tuck surgery, and since tummy tuck is performed with cosmetic concerns, it is a procedure that must be met with special opportunities.

Contraindications

If there is a high risk of surgical complications, it is recommended not to have this procedure. Those with a major chronic disease, bleeding disorder, or immune deficiency are at higher risk of experiencing some postoperative problems. In addition, smoking is also associated with postoperative infections after tummy tuck surgery. Sometimes, problems such as a major infection or newly detected kidney disease may require the surgery to be delayed until the health problem is controlled, even if these problems are discovered on the day of surgery. It is important for those who anticipate significant weight gain or loss, or women planning to become pregnant, to know that they may experience skin, fat, or muscle changes that alter the cosmetic effects of abdominoplasty. Therefore, although the procedure is not prohibited for these people, it may not give the desired result.

A permanent postoperative scar may be seen after surgery, but this scar is a continuing scar along the pelvic bone with a natural bend that runs across the lower abdomen. For those who are very concerned about this issue, it would be a better approach not to have abdominoplasty surgery.

Potential Risks of Abdominal Tension Surgery

Overall, the results of this procedure are good and most people are satisfied with the results. And it just leaves a scar on the lower abdomen. However, besides the usual risks associated with surgery and anesthesia, abdominoplasty may have additional postoperative problems. Discussing all these issues with the pre-operative doctor and getting information will help the person to make a more informed decision about the surgery. Abdominoplasty complications can include:

• Wound infection
• Asymmetry of the abdominal shape
• Severe scarring or discoloration of the skin
• Loose skin
• Numbness or pain in the surgical area
• Not getting the desired result

A complete procedure can cause more complications than a partial procedure.

Purpose of Abdominal Stretching

Abdominal aesthetic surgery is done for purely aesthetic reasons; The goal is to have a flatter and more toned abdomen. If the person’s abdomen looks larger or if the skin is saggy due to tension, he may prefer to have this surgery. Or in those who were overweight or had multiple pregnancies in the past, if significant weight was lost after gaining weight, the elasticity of the skin and muscles may be reduced. Major weight loss, including after weight loss surgery, can result in slack feeling skin. This procedure can improve a person’s quality of life if they are more satisfied than their previous physical appearance, but not their physical health. Abdominoplasty is not a substitute for diet and exercise and does not cause significant weight loss.

• Tummy tuck surgery is not a weight loss surgery. When deciding whether you want to continue with abdominoplasty, the person should consider whether another type of surgery would be more suitable for him. The content of this surgery can be briefly defined as follows;

• Liposuction involves the removal of fat without surgically reshaping the skin or muscle and is not limited to the abdomen. Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure like tummy tuck surgery.
• Paniculectomy is a surgical procedure in which excess skin is removed from the abdominal area without fat or muscle surgery.

Bariatric surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that involves surgically restructuring the digestive system to prevent overeating and absorption of excess calories. It is usually done to prevent medical complications of obesity rather than cosmetic reasons.

Before Plastic Surgery

It is necessary to ensure that you can safely perform this procedure, including a preliminary laboratory assessment, including a complete blood count (CBC) and electrolyte tests to assess health issues. And therefore some preoperative tests are needed to ensure this. In addition, the doctor needs to know whether a person has a pre-existing medical condition such as heart disease or lung disease that puts them at risk of surgery. In addition, other pre-operative tests may be ordered to safely undergo abdominoplasty.

How to Prepare for Abdominoplasty?

Usually, tummy tuck decision is a process that takes months or longer. Weight loss and exercise strategies can be tried to achieve the desired appearance without the need for surgery. Before planning a tummy tuck surgery, it is necessary to make sure that the person is at a relatively stable weight so that the benefits of the procedure can be maximized. While preparing for the surgery, the following factors should be considered;

• Location: The procedure is performed in an operating room or operating room in a hospital or a surgical center. After this procedure, the person should probably stay at least one night. And if he is performing a less invasive or partial procedure, he can be taken home even on the day of the surgery. Before the operation, the doctor will inform the patient.
• To wear: A hospital gown must be worn for the procedure.
• Nutrition: You should not eat anything after midnight before the tummy tuck surgery.
• Medications: The doctor may want to stop taking blood thinners a few days before surgery. If you take oral steroids for diabetes or medications, you may need to follow an adjusted dosing regimen in the days before your own tummy tuck surgery.

Lifestyle Changes Before Abdominoplasty

The person must be at a healthy weight and well nourished before the procedure so that the healing process is improved. In the weeks before the surgery, it is necessary to discuss diet-related issues with the doctor or nutritionist. If a person has a tendency to gain excessive weight or diet, it is necessary to make sure that the nutrients and calories needed for a better recovery process and stay healthy. Since smoking prevents healing, the doctor may ask you to quit smoking if smoking.

How is Abdominal Stretching Surgery Performed?

Before the surgery, all vital values are evaluated (blood values, blood pressure, etc.) and vascular access is established. A urinary catheter is also inserted so that the bladder can release urine, especially if general anesthesia is to be taken. During the procedure, there may be general anesthesia or IV sedation (followed anesthesia care):

• IV sedation can be used for partial abdominoplasty. In this case, an anesthetic drug will be injected into your IV to make you sleepy.
• Usually, a more extensive surgical procedure will require general anesthesia. Since anesthetic medication is inserted into your IV, the muscles of the person are paralyzed to the extent that they cannot breathe on their own. For this reason, the patient is intubated with a breathing tube in order to breathe with mechanical assistance during surgery.

The surgical team places a dressing around the abdomen that reveals the area where the incisions will be made. The skin is cleaned with an antiseptic solution, and the surgeon can measure or mark areas on the person’s abdomen before making the incision. The surgery can take two to five hours and this depends largely on the technique used. The techniques used are as follows:

• In full abdominoplasty, two incisions are made and the procedure is started. One of them is from the hipbone on one side to the hipbone on the other side of the body and is close to the groin area. The other is around the navel.
• In the partial abdominoplasty procedure, the surgeon will make one or two small incisions. This is done laparoscopically or through an open procedure.
• For the laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon will make a few small incisions. Then the laparoscope with surgical instruments at its end is placed to cut and remove excess fat and skin.

After the incisions are made, the skin will be separated from the abdominal muscles. Excess fat will be removed from the abdominal area. If they are separated, the abdominal muscles can be pulled together and stitched into place. The detached skin flap is then stretched over the abdominal area. Excess skin is removed for this tighter look. If the surgeon has included the navel in the incisions, it will be reconstructed in a natural looking position. A surgical drain may be placed under the skin to collect excess fluid. This will stay in place for a few weeks before it is removed. The incisions are then closed with stitches and a sterile dressing is applied to the area.

Considerations After Surgery

• After the surgery is complete, anesthesia is stopped (IV) or reversed (general). If there is a tube to help the patient to breathe, this tube is removed so that the person can breathe on his own before leaving the operating room. The patient is taken to a postoperative area where vital signs will continue to be monitored and monitored. When it is awake and stable, the nurse may take urine from the catheter or ask whether the patient can urinate with a slide. It takes several hours for the patient to stand up and walk with assistance. Usually, he goes home or continues to stay in the hospital according to the plan before the operation. During the post-operative wound healing process, the following instructions should be observed:
• Wound care performed by the staff while in the hospital should be learned and applied meticulously at home.
• If there is pain, pain relievers recommended by the doctor should be taken.
• If prescription medications are to continue, information should be obtained about how long they will continue.
• The patient should leave the hospital only when he is sure that he can continue his life safely.

If symptoms of complications such as fever or severe pain occur within hours after recovery, they should be indicated and, if necessary, a longer stay in the hospital. Recovery after any type of tummy tuck surgery takes from two weeks to two months. However, in general, this may take longer if there is a large scar or if a significant amount of skin and fat has been removed. Post-operative care helps prevent complications. The area should be kept clean and dry, and the instructions given by the doctor should be followed. One should be careful about how to change the dressing when necessary and whether the dressing is waterproof. Thus, necessary precautions are taken to keep the area dry during bathing. The abdominal scar visible from the tummy tuck procedure may not disappear significantly until one year after surgery. And protecting it from the sun can aid recovery.

A compression garment should be worn over the bandage and under the clothing to control the swelling during the healing period. If there is pain, redness, discharge, pus, fever or chills, the doctor should be notified immediately. In addition, if the amount of fluid flowing from the surgical drain (if any) increases, and if it begins to appear bloody or cloudy, the emergency room should be visited for immediate intervention. In the weeks after abdominoplasty, strenuous activities should be avoided and lifting heavy objects should be avoided.

Tummy tuck surgery is an optional cosmetic surgery that those who want to have a flatter, tighter-looking stomach can be considered. There are many things a person should keep in mind when deciding whether this will be the right treatment for you. These include concerns about healing time, scars. It should be thought in detail about the pros and cons of this surgery and decided accordingly.