
Guide to the potential risks & Complications of an abdominoplasty
Body Contouring with Dr Bernard Beldholm12/31/23 • 11 min
In this podcast episode, I will go through the potential complications of abdominoplasty surgery. All surgery has complications, and it is important that you are aware of the risks before you have surgery. Some of these risks are minor and some are major. Some are more common than others. So stay with me, and I will go through these in detail.
Welcome to the surgery podcast, this is Dr Bernard Beldholm. I’m a Registered medical practitioner, FRACS, Specialist surgeon and my medical registration number is MED0001186274. The content on this podcast is considered adult content.
This podcast focuses mainly on Post weight loss surgery and surgery post pregnancy. Ranging from
- Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
- Belt lipectomy (body lift)
- Fleur de lis abdominoplasty
- Brachioplasty (arm lift)
- Thighplasty (inner thigh lift)
I will also discuss breast surgery in the context of post weight loss and post pregnancy changes.
----
Complications.
- The procedure will result in scar formation, as with all surgery. With an Abdominoplasty the scar is inside the bikini line and, depending on the amount of loose skin, may extend around to the back area. There will also be a scar around the umbilicus. Scarring is generally pink but fades to become white, soft and supple in the weeks or months after the operation. Most patients find that the wound heals quickly and that the appearance is ultimately acceptable to them. However, abnormal scarring occasionally occurs within the skin and deeper tissues, which may be unattractive and of different colour to the surrounding skin. Scars may also exhibit contour variations and "bunching" due to excess skin, or may be asymmetrical (with a different appearance between the right and left side of the body). In some cases, scars may require surgical revision or treatment. In rare cases keloid scars form, which are thickened by an inflammatory process in the scar tissue. This occurs due to an irregularity of the patient’s healing process.
- Antibiotics are administered during the operation and,if required, will be prescribed afterwards. This minimises the risk of infection. Nevertheless infections can occur and, should this be the case, they are treated either by oral antibiotics or, in severe cases, by admission to hospital for intravenous antibiotics and further drainage procedures.
- Postoperative pain will occur in varying degrees, from quite severe to moderate and mild on the first day. The pain gradually improves over the next few days and is assisted by using the prescribed pain medication. Increasing, unresponsive pain, should be brought to the attention of the surgeon as this may be an indication that complications are developing. Patients may not be able to stand fully erect for up to two weeks after the operation due to the tightness of the abdominal skin with resultant excessive pull on the surgical scar. Intermittent mild discomfort or intermittent sharp pains after the first few weeks after surgery is also common, as the swelling resolves and the nerves recover. Chronic pain, ranging from mild aching pain to sharp nerve pain can persist for more than one year.
- Bruising and swelling is normal after the operation, but this varies from mild to severe with each patient.
- Specific complications relating to an Abdominoplasty may include:
- Bleeding and excessive bruising. A haematoma could potentially form, which requires removal through further surgery.
- Infections - either superficial or deep.
- The resultant long scar, occasionally wide and thick, may be visible outside the underwear and the bikini line.
- Vaser Liposuction is used as part of the surgical technique for this procedure. Rare complications related to liposuction include injury to deeper structures such as the abdominal wall, bowel, nerves and blood vessels.
- Some numbness in the lower abdomen will result. Sensation usually returns fully, though in rare cases some permanent numbness remains.
- Drains (tubing) are rarely required for this operation but on occasion, they may be required and these may protrude from or near my horizontal incision for up to one week.
- Asymmetry may be noted
General complications applicable to all types of operations include, but are not limited to:
- Heart problems (although very uncommon with modern anaesthetic techniques).
- Lung problems; small areas of the lungs may collapse, increasing the risk of chest infection. Such problems may require antibiotics and physiotherapy to correct them. Other potential lung complications are quite rare.
- Clots in the legs with pain and swelling. Rarely, part of such a clot may break off and travel to the lungs, causing fatal complicati...
12/31/23 • 11 min
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/body-contouring-with-dr-bernard-beldholm-3119/guide-to-the-potential-risks-and-complications-of-an-abdominoplasty-158317"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to guide to the potential risks & complications of an abdominoplasty on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy