Tummy Tuck Surgery (Abdominoplasty)
Abdominoplasty ; is the surgery of removing the fatty tissue with the skin excess in the abdominal region, and the looseness in anterior abdominal wall.
The most appropriate candidates for abdominoplasty is the patients with fat excess in abdomen that could not be removed with diet or exercise, with sagging in the skin, and with complaint of skin looseness. Especially after delivery; sagging and striae in abdominal skin and looseness in the abdominal wall muscles surrounding the intra-abdominal organs emerge. While liposuction is applied in patients if there is not an excess in the skin, abdominoplasty is performed in patients who have excess in skin.
Who Are The Appropriate Candidates For Abdominoplasty?
• If the abdominal skin is quite loose and there is sagging
• If there is fat and skin excess in abdomen
• If the abdominal muscles loosened and separated
• If there are striae in considerable extent in the abdomen, you can be a good candidate for abdominoplasty.
Procedures Applied In Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty (or tummy tuck surgery) is performed with general anesthesia in hospital conditions. We can divide the abdomen lifting surgery in two as mini abdominoplasty (mini tummy tuck) and abdominoplasty. Mini abdominoplasty is performed in patients with slightly sagging skin, and the complete abdominoplasty is applied in patients whose abdominal skin is quite sagging and striated.
First of all, a fluid containing local anesthetic and preventing the bleeding is injected in the operative field. After removed the excess fats especially in the waist region by the liposuction method, by entering with an incision made between both inguens on the condition of being longer than the cesarean incision, the skin is completely separated from on the muscles. The abdominal muscles which are separated from each other and weakened, and the umbilical hernia if exists are fixed.
The anterior abdominal wall is lifted by putting collecting sutures on the abdominal wall membranes on muscles (fascia) and muscle structures loosened because of weight gain-loss. In other words, abdominoplasty is a surgery lifting the intra-abdomen at the same time. Firstly the navel is separated from the skin left above; then along with being kept in the same place, it is sutured to a new belly-button opened in the lifted abdominal skin.
After removing the excess skin, fat and striae left below the old belly-button, the skin is sutured in layers by lifting again. Thus the looseness is removed. At the end of the surgery, a special corset is made worn by the patient and it is suggested this corset to be worn during 1 month.
What Is The No-Drain Tummy Tuck Surgery?
The tummy tuck surgery performed without using drain is not a term said only because drain is not used, that requires a more different surgical technique. In the abdominoplasty performed without using drain, the upper tissues are sutured to the lower tissues from end to end and the potential dead space is closed completely. By this means, it does not leave a space under skin and swelling occurs more slightly.
Because drain is not used, the comfort after surgery differentiates as that between black and white. The patient can move completely relaxed, walk, and meet his/her own needs. Seroma (fluid accumulation) that is potential to occur afterwards is far less in the no-drain tummy tuck surgery.
After Abdominoplasty
The patient starts to walk after 7-8 hours after abdominoplasty. It is lied down in feet high; back upright position in the bed. The sutures heal in about 12 days, it does not need to remove sutures from including the belly-button, and the patient can return his /her daily activities within this process. Along with resting in the first days, the patient slowly returns his/her normal life from the 5th day.
Especially in the technique of no-drain tummy tuck surgery, patients become in ability to go around outside on their own from 2-3 days. Swelling and bruises seen in the first weeks are normal and start to reduce from the 15th day. However, you are required to wait 1-1.5 month for swelling to disappear completely, and in order to see the apparent result of surgery. The swelling left behind disappear in time within 6 months and the patient takes its final state.
Either partial or total, abdominoplasty gives excellent result for the persons whose abdominal muscles are weakened and skin is loosened and sagging. In many cases, the results are permanent if a balanced and regular exercise program is applied.
Tummy tuck surgery (abdominoplasty) can also be performed together with the body contour correcting oriented surgeries (plastic breast surgeries, liposuction, arm thigh lift etc.).
According To What Do Abdominoplasty Prices Vary?
Abdominoplasty surgeries vary according to the level of sagging in abdominal region, level of fat excess, whether liposuction will be performed with or not, and the age and medical state of the patient. Also some of the factors affecting the abdominoplasty prices are hospital choice, and being either mini or full abdominoplasty. Abdominoplasty price of an overweight and very sagging patient does not be same with of a thin patient. To learn the abdominoplasty prices correctly, you should get examined by your doctor.