Abdominoplasty, commonly called a "tummy tuck," is a popular cosmetic procedure to reduce the appearance of a protruding abdomen. It is most effective for men or women who are in relatively good shape, but are bothered by a large fat deposit or loose abdominal skin that won't respond to diet or
exercise. The surgery is particularly helpful to women who have stretched their abdominal muscles and skin beyond the point where either can return to normal through multiple pregnancies. Tummy tucks can also improve the loss of skin elasticity in older patients (frequently the result of slight obesity). The surgery typically produces excellent results for patients with weakened abdominal muscles or excess skin. In most cases, the results are long lasting.
 
Abdominoplasty may not be right for you or should be postponed if you
• intend to lose a lot of weight.
• have plans for future pregnancies.
• have scarring from previous abdominal surgery.
 
The Procedure
A major surgical procedure to flatten the abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening the abdominal wall muscles. Two to five hours in length, the procedure can be performed on an in or outpatient basis, depending upon the individual circumstances, and is accompanied by general anesthesia. The procedure typically produces a permanent scar that, depending upon the extent of surgery, can extend from hip to hip or further.
 

Before Your Abdominoplasty
At this visit, we will take payment and answer any questions you may have. Dr. Frost will probably not be available at this time but if you would like to speak with him again, please let us know and we will schedule this visit when he is available.

You will also receive any prescriptions that you may need at this visit. We recommend that you get these filled and have them ready so that you will not need to stop at the pharmacy on your way home from surgery. Let us know if you have any specific pain medication requests. We will try to use the medication that works best for you.

Arrangements will also be made at this visit for any necessary pre-operative evaluations such as blood tests, pregnancy tests, EKG, etc.

Please be at the Ambulatory Surgery Center or hospital on time so the nurses and anesthesiologist will have time to evaluate prior to surgery.
 
DIET & MEDICATIONS
PLEASE, eat nothing and drink nothing after midnight the night before surgery. This is VERY important. Your surgery will be canceled if you eat or drink in the morning before surgery. The only exception is a sip of water with any medications you must take. Generally, you should take blood pressure and heart medications. Leave off arthritis medications and do NOT take any diabetic medications (including insulin) unless specifically instructed to do so.
 
DRESSINGS & BATHING
Please take a good shower with antibacterial soap the night before and the morning of surgery. Wear loose comfortable clothing with a shirt that buttons up the front and loose pants since they will be easier to get on and off after surgery.
 
The Side Effects
• Temporary pain
• Swelling, soreness, numbness of the abdominal skin
• Bruising
• Tiredness for several weeks or months
 
Possible Risks
• Blood clots
• Infection
• Bleeding under the skin flap which could require return to surgery
• Poor healing resulting in conspicuous scarring or skin loss
• Need for a second operation
 
After Your Abdominoplasty
DIET
Take it slow and easy with diet. Start with clear liquids and simply advance as tolerated. It is normal to have some nausea from anesthetics and pain medication but by taking it easy, this should resolve quickly.
 
ACTIVITY
Take it easy. Walking is good. Bouncing is bad. A good rule is “If it hurts, don’t do it”. You may feel that you can’t stand up straight. Feel free to walk bent over for the first week or so. You will be standing straight (and proud) soon. As you start to feel better, you may gradually increase your activity. Don’t plan to drive for a couple of weeks since restricted movement may limit your response time in an emergency. No abdominal exercise for at least a month (6 weeks is probably better).
 
PAIN
An Abdominoplasty is major surgery so there is considerable discomfort. We want to help you limit pain as much as possible but we will not be able to take it all away. The goal of pain medication is to prevent¬ pain so don’t wait until you are really hurting to take your medication. Follow the instructions for your prescription and we think you will get the best relief possible. Narcotics can cause constipation so drink plenty of water, eat fruit and use an over the counter laxative if needed.
 

DRESSINGS & BATHING
Leave your abdominal binder (girdle) on day and night. There will be plenty of time to examine your results later but no peaking right now. Sponge bathe until the drains are removed (usually 2 to 7 days). After that, simply shower over the tapes that cover the incision. The sutures will dissolve in time so there will be no worries about removing them.

Follow the instructions for emptying and recording the drain output. Bring your drain output record with you to the office. There will be tape across the incisions. These will stay on very well through a shower so just leave them on, shower over and pat them dry. Don’t try to judge your results too early. There will be changes over the next few months until you see your final result.
 

QUESTIONS
Our goal is for you to be informed so if you have a question, please call our office at 850.474.8333
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