Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty Overview

A pot belly or a protruding abdomen can make an otherwise healthy looking body look bad. Sometimes the problem is a pocket of fat that has defied dieting and exercise and sometimes it is loose skin or loose skin and lax muscles that are the aftermath of pregnancy and weight loss. Either way, a cosmetic surgical procedure called a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty can fix the problem and give you back a sleek, smooth figure.

Tummy Tuck Techniques

There are several types of surgery that fall under the category of tummy tuck. The surgeon may simply remove excess skin and fat, which is often called a mini-tummy tuck or dermolipectomy. Or he or she can remove the excess skin and fat and also repair the abdominal muscles that have been stretched apart by pregnancy or excess weight that has been lost. This is called a full tummy tuck or abdominoplasty.

The muscles that are repaired are the two rectus abdominis muscles, which run vertically down the center of the abdomen with a very narrow piece of connective tissue called fascia between them. During pregnancy and in many cases of obesity, this fascia has stretched out and the two rectus muscles have separated, causing the belly to look loose and paunchy.

There is also a more extensive surgery called a  panniculectomy. This is done for a seriously sagging belly to remove a large amount of abdominal skin that has sagged down. This loose skin can sag to the point where it interferes with hygiene or even walking. This can occur after bariatric or weight-loss surgery in a person who has lost a very great deal of weight. For some, the loose skin forms what looks like an apron.

In some instances a panniculectomy is performed in conjunction with other abdominal surgery such as a hysterectomy or hernia repair because the belly is in the way. It may also be paid for by health insurance in cases where the overhanging belly is causing serious rashes and skin infections.

In a  mini-tummy tuck, the surgeon makes a vertical incision low on the abdomen from hip to hip. The skin and subcutaneous fat are loosened and pulled downward. Usually, the skin must be repositioned around the navel, so the surgeon makes a hole in the repositioned skin and sutured it around the navel, which does not actually change position. Excess skin and fat are removed and the main incision is closed.

In a full tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, the incision and removal of the skin and fat are the same. However, the surgeon will also fix the rectus abdominis muscles by repairing the stretched-out fascia. This brings the muscles back into their proper position and corrects some of the potbelly.

The incision is closed with either sutures or surgical staples. The surgeon may insert a drain (or two or three drains) into the wound to help prevent a build up of fluid that can put pressure on the incision. The drain goes out of the body to a small plastic bulb that can be emptied a few times a day. A drain is usually removed anywhere from a day to a week after surgery, but they can stay in longer if fluid is still draining.

A mini-tummy tuck can be performed on an outpatient basis, but an abdominoplasty or a panniculectomy are usually performed in a hospital and you will probably be kept at least overnight. When a tummy tuck or panniculectomy is performed with a hysterectomy or hernia repair, you may be in the hospital for a few days. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia. A tummy tuck can also be combined with other cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, a breast lift, or breast augmentation. It is often a part of what is popularly called a “mommy makeover.”

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