Nonetheless , in rare cases it may become chronic and may warrant surgical intervention .
There is a small risk of infection and that is why it is best to keep pets away from you in the first few weeks of recovery , as there is an increased risk of infection with pets . I also prefer if the wound is kept dry until it has healed to reduce potential infection , however , this is my personal preference , and other surgeons will vary in their views .
Keloid / hypertrophic scars , which are red , thick , lumpy , itchy , and in some patients may be painful scars could occur in a small number of patients . They are more common in darker-skinned patients and in patients with inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn ’ s disease . The scars may also , in some patients , widen , which could warrant surgical scar revision .
Skin contour irregularities may occur in addition to asymmetry , which is more likely to occur in those patients with pre-existing asymmetry . Deep vein thrombosis ( leg clots ), and pulmonary complications in rare cases may occur ; however , in my practice the team and myself take all the necessary precautions to reduce these risks .
Life threatening complications are extremely rare and all precautions are taken to keep such risk rare . It is important to stress that patient safety is paramount . More recently COVID-19 risks must be taken into consideration and that is why all patients are screened 3 days prior to the surgery and asked to isolate for the same period of time . I also ask my patients to self-isolate for first 7-10 days following the surgery .
Numbness of the tummy skin is expected after this surgery ; however in the majority of cases this is likely to return to near the pre-operative level with the passage of time , hence it is important to exercise caution in winter months with using hot water bottles , as the heat will not be felt and a burn may be caused . On occasions the numbness may persist and rarely may affect the upper outer thighs .
Pain control Following Surgery : Using local anaesthetic injections during the procedure will initially control pain . Pain control on the ward and at home will be with the appropriate painkillers , which vary between individuals . It is important to refrain from using products like Aspirin , Brufen , Voltoral , Ponstan ( Mefenamic Acid ), or similar tablets , a group known as NSAID , after the surgery and also the week before the surgery , and in the case of Aspirin 2-3 weeks before the surgery and 1 week after .
The tummy tuck procedure may rarely lead to skin blood supply compromise known as skin necrosis . This can cause the area to breakdown , leading to longer time to heal . This complication is more common in the Fleur-de-Lis tummy tuck and also in active smokers . Hence , smoking cessation is a must 4 -6 weeks before surgery and at least 3 weeks after .
If a breakdown of the wound occurs , this means more dressings and on rare occasions surgical intervention . If this happens it can affect the scar quality and cosmetic outcome , which may mean scar revision at a later stage .
The fat in the treated area may respond unfavourably by “ hardening ”; a process called fat necrosis , which in most cases settle without any intervention - it is important to stress that this condition is uncommon .
Fullness adjacent to the tummy lower scar outer aspects in one or both flanks may occur . This is otherwise known historically as “ dog ears ”, and in the majority of cases settle in the first year . On occasions this may warrant surgical excision . In addition and in small number of patients , fullness in the lower abdomen may occur even though the area would have been sculptured at the time of surgery .
The umbilicus in a small number of patients could be at risk of being lost following this surgery ; however , an umbilicus can be refashioned at a later date . In some patients there is a risk of the umbilicus scar tightening causing narrowing of the umbilicus opening . Umbilical scar massages using either bio-oil or E45 cream 1-2 times a day are encouraged to help reduce this risk . The lower tummy scar will benefit from the same .
This list of the risks and potential complications related to tummy tuck surgery is by no means exhaustive , and on occasions , complication ( s ) may in rare occasions unexpectedly arise that are not on the list . If combined with other procedures on the tummy or elsewhere , e . g . breast surgery then the surgical , anaesthetic , medical risks and potential complications maybe higher .
Having discussed the surgical risks and potential adverse effects of a tummy tuck , it is also important to stress that tummy tuck as a procedure has a high success and satisfaction rate and a fairly low complications rate . The popularity of this procedure in the private sector has risen over the last few years .
For further information , contact Dr Ali Juma on 0151 230 1648 .
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