Belly Button Issues After a Tummy Tuck

asked 1 year ago by MeganM21 in CT
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 1,224 times
Tags: belly button

I had a tummy tuck almost two years ago. Two years in January to be exact. About 9 months after my tummy tuck a blister began to form on the lower part of my belly button and then it burst open and began to puss. I went in to the plastic surgeon was sure it was a stitch that was causing the probably after two sugreys everythign seemed fine. Now the issues is happening again. He wants to do surgury again but I am afraid to have him mess with it again. Any suggestions?

6 answers to Belly Button Issues After a Tummy Tuck

Belly button problems

I have found that this problem is related to sutures (usually braided) that have been used for abdominal wall muscle application. Unfortunately this problem can be stubborn and recurrent unless all of the sutures of the involved area are removed. This may also involve reinforcement of the plication ( muscle repair) with a monofilament suture. Continue to see a plastic surgeon. Best wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Tummy tuck

The problem may also be that one of the permanent sutures, used for tightening the abdominal muscles, became infected. If so, then it must be removed.

Shahin Javaheri, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Draining belly button stitch after tummy tuck

It is likely that you have an exposed or contaminated suture. This rarely requires antibiotics, but may be managed with obsertvation. Eventually the suture may become expoised and eaisly removed. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Infection around navel 9 months after tummy tuck

Dear MeganM21, As my other colleagues have pointed out, you likely have a stitch causing the problem. I have seen this problem before, and it was caused by permanent stitches used for abdominal wall plication. Once the stitch becomes contaminated with bacteria, the blisters will continue to occur unless the entire stitch is removed. Assuming this is the problem, hopefully your surgeon used a series of interrupted stitches, rather than one long stitch to plicate the muscles. It looks... more

Lawrence Tong, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon

Suture Problems After Tummy Tuck

Most likely this is a suture working it's way to the surface and this needs to be removed. Skin sutures typically dissolve by this point so you may have a deeper suture- one used to tighten the muscles- causing the problem. Either way, it should be a minor procedure to fix it.

Lawrence Iteld, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

You have stich abcess

You have stitch abscess from the sutures that used for deep layer closure. This will not resolve till all of the deep layer stitches are removed. your initial surgeon should be able to fix it.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

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