Increased Risk in Combining Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift?

One pearl of knowldege I learned long ago is that "combination does not mean complication" if you select the proper patient and use an adequate facility.  You can avoid the jam of having 2 surgeries, 2 downtimes, 2 exposures to anesthesia and higher expense if you opt for a combination procedure.

If I have a patient who needs both procedures, I will routinely do them at the same time. The total time for me is less than 4 hours so it is a reasonable and safe combination to do. 

We combine Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift (Mastopexy) with or without implants all the time in our practice in Memphis. This commonly done combination procedure falls under the grouping of cosmetic procedures known as MOMMY MAKEOVER operations. All things being equal, assuming you have no preexisting health issues, the only real determinant of surgical risk is the duration of the procedure , in other words, time in the OR. The longer the procedure, the higher the risk of blood clot formation in... more

Although TT and breast lift &/or augmentation are commonly performed together, there is a slight increase in risks with the extended anesthesia time. There is a wide variation in operating times among surgeons. Generally, however, the economic and other benefits (recovery time,etc.) far outweigh the increase risks for most patients.

Hi there- The combination of a Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift (or Breast Augmentation, for that matter) is fairly standard practice in many centers, and in fact is so commonly performed as to have been given nicknames like the "Mommy Makeover". It would be difficult to answer your question definitively without knowing more details, but if you are a healthy person and a good candidate for the procedures in question, doing them together makes a great deal of sense by lowering your... more

It is always safer to perform smaller operations, so combing two large procedures does increase the risks. In my mind, the most serious increased risk of combining the two procedures is that the possibility of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism increases with longer surgical times. That being said, operations lasting less than 6 hours are relatively safe, and combining a tummy tuck with a breast reduction is quite common. Speak with your individual surgeon to review the risks... more

All surgical procedures have some risks. Combining two surgical procedures such as a breast lift and a tummy tuck can increase risks associated with bleeding, infection, anesthetic risks, and deep venous thrombosis, among other things. Having said that, a breast lift and tummy tuck combination is a very common procedure. I recomend that you discuss the options and increased risks with your surgeon. Be specific. Ask the surgeon how many combination cases he/she performs. How long will the... more