Is It Common for Permanent Abdominoplasty Sutures to Get Infected After 5 Years?

My stomach muscles started hurting approximately 5 years post abdominoplasty. Went to dr, he said I had a hernia at an old gallbladder incision sent me to surgeon. Surgeon took me into surgery and said I didn't have hernia and cleaned up scar tissue. Muscles continued to hurt. Year later started draining pus, surgeon went back in and found permanent tummy tuck sutures infected. Cleaned it up and 3 months later I drained pus again and my stomach muscles continue to hurt. Is this common

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10 Doctor Answers | Asked by Overton in Overton, TX

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Tummy tuck complication

The type of problem you're having with sutures is rare at the five-year post-op mark (but not unheard of). I have had a few patients who have had problems with Ethibond sutures (with continued working on problems) and have required every one of these sutures had to be removed before they healed. If you find that you do have continued problems with drainage (for example from the incision line or umbilicus) I would not be surprised if the underlying sutures (and a resulting... more

How permanent are permanent abdominoplasty sutures?

In our practice, we find that as every patient is unique so is every tummy tuck. We spent a great deal of time preoperatively talking to patients and understanding their concerns, their goals, and evaluating their body anatomical tissue. This allows us to create a surgical plan that will meet their concerns and help accomplish their aesthetic goals. In the patients that require muscle tightening we do perform a muscle repair with permanent suture. The suture is placed in a manner that is... more

Infected sutures after abdominoplasty

Your situation is quite unusual, but not unheard of. My thoughts on this would be: 1) to consider a consultation with an Infectious Disease physician, so as to determine the most appropriate antibiotic treatment regimen for you. 2) Since your situation is unusual, it might be wise to have a CT scan of the abdomen to make sure there isn't anything else going on - abscess, fistula, hernia, etc. 3) Since it can be difficult for the body to clear an infection... more

Infected sutures after abdominoplasty

While not common, it does happen with certain permanent sutures that are sometimes used for abdominoplasties, hernia repairs and other abdominal surgeries. Suture made from braided nylon (Ethibond) seems to be the culprit in most cases. Unfortunately, these problems can arise years after the original surgery. Sometimes they can be dealt with during an office procedure if only one small area is involved. If it continues to be a recurring problem, a surgical procedure may be done to... more

Delayed infection of muscle repair stitches with tummy tuck

This is not common but it does occur. The alternative would be to perform muscle repair with non-permanent sutures but we have found this to be less succcessful than the use of permanent sutures.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Post Tummy Tuck Suture Infection

This is a very uncommon problem that can occur. It is even more unusual for this to occur after 5 years. Typically there will be an inciting event such as a recent surgery, trauma, or skin infection. It is something that may require a repeat surgery to remove all permanent sutures if it does not respond and resolve to antbiotic therapy. I wish you a safe recovery. Paul S. Gill, M.D. Gill Plastic Surgery Houston Double Board Certified Plastic... more

It is very Uncommon for for Abdominoplasty Sutures to Get Infected After 5 Years?

Regarding: "Is It Common for Permanent Abdominoplasty Sutures to Get Infected After 5 Years? My stomach muscles started hurting approximately 5 years post abdominoplasty. Went to dr, he said I had a hernia at an old gallbladder incision sent me to surgeon. Surgeon took me into surgery and said I didn't have hernia and cleaned up scar tissue. Muscles continued to hurt. Year later started draining pus, surgeon went back in and found permanent tummy tuck sutures infected.... more

Infection after tummy tuck

It is very possible that with permanent sutures placed for the plication that they can become infected and require removal. It is not common.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Infected Muscle Plication Sutures

It would be extremely unusual to develop infection in permanent muscle plication sutures five years following your abdominoplasty. A more likely scenario is that the infection occurred following your second surgery. Once the sutures become infected for whatever reason, they need to be removed. This far out from your tummy tuck, it is unlikely to cause a recurrence of the muscle separation.

Infected tummy tuck sutures are rare

It is rare but possible for you to have long term infection in the sutures for your tummy tuck if they were a permanent type and braided material. That is one of the reasons I don't use these but rather I use heavy duty non-braided dissolvable ones that last long enough for you to heal fully then disappear.