Tummy tuck, clinically known as abdominoplasty, is a major body contouring procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon. Although advancements in surgical techniques have made the procedure less invasive and less risky, but the patient should still have complete information about the potential risks and complications in order to make a well-considered choice.
At the time of initial consultation, the surgeon will discuss about various aspects of abdominoplasty, and apprise the patient about the associated risks and side effects. The first goal of the surgeon will be to help the patient have reasonable expectations and be fully aware of the potential risks. Patients in Atlanta, GA and surrounding locations have an opportunity to receive tummy tuck from dedicated plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey.
Potential Complications
Poor Anesthesia Reaction
Tummy tuck surgery is usually performed with the patient under general anesthesia. As a precautionary measure, the patient’s current fitness and past medical records will be assessed before they are declared fit for anesthesia.
However, in exceptional cases, the patient may still have an adverse reaction to anesthesia. An anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will be present in the operating room to anticipate any problem quickly and address it well in time.
Blood Clotting
If the patient suffers from a pre-existing tendency of clot formation, or even otherwise, in rare cases a blood clot may form inside a blood vessel. This can cause obstruction in the blood flow, and in a few cases, the clot may travel to the lungs, heart or brain. This can pose a serious risk to the health of the patient.
Infection
The cosmetic surgeon will take care to ensure that the tummy tuck procedure is performed in a safe and sterile operating environment. The patient, on their part, should carefully follow the surgeon’s post-operative instructions to care for the incision areas to minimize infection risks. Sometimes the surgeon may prescribe a course of antibiotics to further mitigate the post-surgical infection risk.
Poor Healing
The patient should expect the pain, swelling and bruising to resolve in about four to six weeks. However, in some cases, the healing may be slower, particularly when the patient has undergone full traditional abdominoplasty. The risk of delayed healing is higher for patients with a history of smoking. But they should anyway refrain from smoking for a certain period of time before and after the surgery as instructed by the surgeon.
Unfavorable Scarring
Some amount of scarring is inevitable in any traditional tummy tuck surgery. But it is possible to minimize the visible scarring by placing the incisions in discreet locations. The scars may, however, be more apparent in a few cases due to several reasons. Hard working and judicious plastic surgeon Dr. McCluskey receives patients from Atlanta, GA and nearby areas for tummy tuck surgery.
Safety Information
Tummy tuck surgery has a complication rate of below five percent, as per a survey reported by the ASPS. The risks of infection and hemorrhage are most common, while rare complications may include hypoxia, fluid accumulation, hypotension, and pulmonary dysfunction.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit: