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How High Up Torso Does Diastasis Repair and Tummy Tuck Go?

asked 1 year ago by swimchick in San Francisco CA
Latest answer by Robert M. Grenley, MD
Question viewed 906 times
Tags: 110-129 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, diastasis recti, height, repair, torso

Before my full TT, my ps told me I had a diastasis of 3 fingers apart. After sx, he told me I was sew from my breast bone to my pubic bone, however I only feel the sutures internally from right above my new belly button to right below my TT incision line. My upper torso looks the same as pre-sx w/squishy & some baggy skin above my BB. Should my MR been sewn up higher and should I still have loose skin left over? My ps tells me TT's are a lower abdominal procedure. I'm 5'4", 115 lbs. Need advice.

14 answers to How High Up Torso Does Diastasis Repair and Tummy Tuck Go?

Diastasis repair during a Tummy Tuck is the surgeons discretion

Tightening the fascia that surrounds the rectus muscles is commonly performed as part of a standard tummy tuck. Some patients have an easily felt separation between the mid-line muscles known as a diastasis, while others just have an overall laxity. Tightening this layer to restore a more flat abdominal profile usually involves a tapered tightening that extends from the lower part of your breast bone to the pubic bone. In some cases, the tightening of the deep layer can exaggerate the... more

Mathew C. Mosher, MD
Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.drmosher.com

How High Up Torso Does Diastasis Repair and Tummy Tuck Go?

When repairing a diastasis recti, we would usually tighten the abdominal wall fascia from near the xiphoid process at the base of the "breast bone" in the upper tummy to the pubic bone in the lower tummy. This allows us to tighten from a fixed point to a fixed point...otherwise, there is the risk of tightening one area and bulging out the untightened area, as would happen when pushing in on one part of a balloon and having the other part bulge out. That being said, the... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

How high to repair a diastasis

The true answer is: however high and low it needs to be. In other words, the extent of the repair is decided upon inside the operating room after the area is exposed and the condition of the tissues. What you feel has been repaired or not is may or may not reflect what really was repaired. I would discuss your observations frankly with your plastic surgeon and determine how much these "problem areas" will resolve over time.

Tito Vasquez, MD
Southport Plastic Surgeon

www.ctpsg.com

Diastasis Repair with Tummy Tuck - How high does it go?

The repair will usually go very close to the xiphoid process of the sternum which is the bottom of your breastbone. I have found this area to usually be a little bit more resistant to repair. It just seems that the lower abdomen can be tightened a little easier. In addition the lower abdominal skin is usually tighter as well since the lower abdominal skin gets stretched more during the procedure. These two occurences could lead to what you're seeing. However most of the intra-abdominal... more

Jon F. Harrell, DO
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.westonsurgery.com

Muscle repair length

A TT typically will have varying amounts of muscle repair along the torso where it is tightened the most at the waist so there's no ribs or pelvic bones limiting the tightening and thus reducing the waist as much as possible. The upper abdomen can be stubborn sometimes and you may need liposuction but only on exam would one be able to tell because this area is tough to examine.

Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

www.DoctorMeade.com

Muscle Sewing In A Tummy Tuck Usually Runs From Rib Cage Down To Pubic Bone

The purpose of sewing the rectus muscles (technically the fascia of the muscles) is to bring them closer together to help correct one component of the abdominal bulging problem. (the skin and the fat are the other two) This is usually done from just under the rib cage (xiphoid process) the whole way down to the just above the pubic bone. But it is up to the plastic surgeon's discretion as to whether it is beneficial to cover this entire vertical length or not. More pain after surgery... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

How high does a tummy tuck go?

Most plastic surgeons repair the diastasis from the lower end of the rib cage to the pubic bone. I always advise patients preop that they will see somewhat less improvement over the upper abdomen compared to the lower. This is mainly due to the fact that the flap, or apron, is being pulled downward from below. As we get higher on the abdomen the effect of the pull decreases. If it did not, then your breasts would be pulled down along with your tummy. I usually do a small... more

Eric Pugash, MD
Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.vancouvercosmeticsurgery.ca

Muscle repair and tummy tucks

A full tummy tuck in my hands includes a muscel repair up and down the entire length of the abdomen from the xyphoid above to the pubic bone below.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Muscle Repair for TT Extends from Sternum to Pubis

The extent of the muscle repair in a classic TT does extend from the xiphi-sternum to the pubis. The muscle repair, however, tightens muscle not skin. If you were significantly overweight at the time of your TT, it would not be unusual to have some upper abdominal fullness after your TT.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

How high up does muscle repair go in tummy tuck?

It may be that your muscle repair was up to your breast bone, but you can still have loose skin in your upper abdomen. A standard abdominoplasty does not address the upper abdomen very well as it focuses on tightening the skin in the lower abdomen where the laxity is usually worst. In order to address upper abdominal laxity specifically, you would be looking at a reverse abdominoplasty. However this is another relatively major procedure and will leave you with scars in... more

Jonathan J Staiano, MBBS
Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Repairing muscle separation with a tummy tuck

Generally the muscle repair goes from just under the breast bone to the pubic area, but there may be patients who have a bit different anatomy and thus don't need exactly the same thing. Just tightening the muscle in the lower abdomen as is sometimes done in a "mini" tuck can make the bulge worse up top. I would say most patients (unless very thin) can't feel the internal sutures at all.

Byron D. Poindexter, MD
Reston Plastic Surgeon

Standard Full Tummy Tuck

A standard full Tummy tuck usually does involve bringing the rectus muscles together all the way from the xiphoid (sternum area) to the pubic area. It is usually done to effect improvement not only in the lower abdomen but in the upper abdomen as well. A Mini-Tummy Tuck does not usually involve the muscles and is typically a skin-only procedure and done for improvement in the lower abdomen alone.

Stephen Delia, M.D.
Boston Plastic Surgeon

Abdominal plication is important in TT surgery

Tightening and flattening the abdominal wall with plication sutures is probably the most important part of a TT procedure- it recreates a feminine and youthful form in a way that liposuction or simple skin excision cannot achieve. I plicate the abdomen from the xyphoid to the pubic bone level. Partial plication will create a 'partial' result, and who wants that ?

Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

Tummy tuck

When the abdominal muscles are "sewn" together, they are done so from the upper abdominal area. If they are far apart (such as you have described), then it should be from the sternum to the pubic area. Close approximation avoids the bulge that can occur in this area if the muscles are not approximated. Another possibility is that you may fat in this area and that will require liposuction to eliminate. Without a photo, or an examination, I can not say if... more