There are many abdominoplasties, the technical term for tummy tucks, performed every year with great success. Patients are generally very happy with the outcome of their procedure when their surgery is performed by a licensed plastic cosmetic surgeon who has experience in body contouring. However, part of your due diligence is to research this procedure to make sure you understand all of the risks involved since it is a major elective surgery and can be more invasive than other body contouring procedures, such as breast augmentation or liposuction.

Risks
As with any surgery that’s elective or necessary, tummy tuck carries its own set of potential risks and complications. Some to be aware of include infection and blood clots. Both are considered rare and treatable but do have the potential of occurring.

You should expect your incisions to drain excess fluid that may be tinged pink or orange-ish with a bit of blood. However, bleeding excessively is a risk that should be addressed immediately. Watch for bleeding by inspecting your dressings. Monitor the colour of the fluid that drains from your incisions, as it can also show if you have an infection (in which case, the drainage may be a yellowish or greenish colour).

Necrosis is the technical term for tissue death. This occurs when blood supply to tissue is hindered or cut off completely.

A very serious complication is pulmonary emboli, which though rare can cause death. Emboli is caused by a blood clot travelling to the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing and even heart attack. To reduce the risk of this, make sure to walk slowly around after your surgery. This will also help with the healing process as it will encourage circulation.

To minimize the chance of risks and complications occurring, you should always follow the post-surgical care instructions that are provided to you by your surgeon. These are very important and will help you through the recovery process, facilitating and expediting it.

If at any time you feel that something is wrong or you have a question, make sure you contact your surgeon immediately at the number provided to you in your patient care package. Your surgeon will always be able to assist you with your concern, providing sound medical advice.