Just like any other surgical procedure, tummy tuck or abdominoplasty involves some amount of risk. Before committing to this cosmetic surgery procedure, the patient should carefully consider the risks and benefits and make an informed decision. The surgeon will require them to sign consent forms prior to the procedure, which will mention that the patient is aware of the risks.
At the time of pre-operative consultation, the surgeon will discuss all aspects of tummy tuck, including the potential risks.
The patient should feel free to ask questions and clear any doubts or concerns they may have at this time. Board certified plastic surgeon Roger Tsai, MD provides tummy tuck to patients in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA , and surrounding locations.
Common Risks
Some of the potential risks associated with abdominoplasty include:
Adverse Anesthesia Reaction
Tummy tuck is usually performed with the patient under general anesthesia, which entails some degree of risk. Poor reaction to general anesthesia may occur in rare circumstances. An experienced anesthesiologist or a certified nurse anesthetist should be able to detect the problem early before it becomes complicated, and minimize this risk. They will usually remain present in the operating room throughout the procedure to monitor the patient’s response.
Blood Clotting
After tummy tuck plastic surgery procedure, blood clots may form inside a blood vessel. This is a rare occurrence, which may complicate the blood flow. Patients should follow the surgeon’s pre- and post-op care instructions carefully to minimize this risk. Compression garment around the waist and mild exercises during recovery will improve blood flow and reduce the risk of clotting.
Infection Risks
Chances of infection are higher during and immediately after the tummy tuck procedure. The surgical room should be completely sterile to mitigate the risk. Proper wound care is a must after the surgery in order to reduce post-surgical infection risk. The patient should follow the surgeon’s instructions about changing or removing bandages and avoiding contact with the incision sites in the initial days of recovery.
Fluid Accumulation
Following tummy tuck surgery in some patients, seroma formation or collection of fluid between the skin flap and the muscle layer can occur. This will increase the risk of infection. The surgeon will place temporary drain tubes under the incision areas to minimize this risk. The patient should adhere to the surgeon’s instructions about measuring and emptying the drains every day until they are removed.
Slow Healing
It may take a few weeks until the bruising, swelling and pain in the treated sites are completely resolved. But if the symptoms continue to be significant beyond this stage, it may be a case of poor healing. Irregular healing can sometimes lead to skin loss. Scarring in such patients may also be higher. Patients should strictly avoid smoking before and after the surgery for a certain time period as advised by the surgeon to minimize this risk.
Experienced cosmetic surgeon Roger Tsai, MD receives patients from West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA, and nearby areas for tummy tuck surgery.
For more information on cosmetic plastic surgery procedures and treatments by Beverly Hills board certified plastic surgeon, Roger Tsai, MD please click here or call us at 310.276.1190. Taking patients from Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, Southern California and other surrounding cities.