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What Can I Do if my Belly Button "Dies" As a Result of TT with Umbilical Hernia Repair?

I am 9 days post-op from a TT, umbilical hernia repair, BA and thigh lipo. I was just told at my follow-up that it looks like my belly button may be dying due to a decrease in the blood supply. I was too stunned to ask questions, but now I have a million. Can anything be done to save the dying umbilicus? What will it look like if it "dies". Is there any kind of revision that can be done after it heals. It looks black and odd shaped now. What should I expect?

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9 Doctor Answers | Asked by cautiously optimistic in Maryland

Doctor Answers (9)
Community Comments (0)

Dying Belly Button after Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair.

Sorry to hear about the issue with your belly button. Your surgeon's description is one way to look at the situation. The other perspective is that your belly button is struggling to live. The combination of tummy tuck and belly button hernia repair does have an increased risk of the skin of your belly button dying do to poor blood supply. What I always recommend is remaining well hydrated, (drink lots of fluids and usually recommend electrolyte drinks such as... more

Problem with umbilicus

Although there is a risk of injury to the unmusical bold supply during tummy tuck with hernia repair, at this point it is too early to determine how much injury. I would suggest you wait till the swelling, subsided and your plastic surgeon will be able to determine if anything needs to be done. In many occasion the umbilicus is dusky and looks like its necrotic after hernia repair,but eventually it recovers or most of it survive.

Belly button reconstruction is possible

Hello, Sorry to hear about your tummy tuck healing issue. Although rare this can happen for a variety of reasons. At this stage there is not much that can be done other than wait to allow the body to declare what is alive and what is not. I would keep a close watch to make sure the belly button does not end up creating an infection. If your belly button indeed does not survive a new belly button can be created. Although it will not be as good as your original belly button the... more

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Hernia repair and tummy tuck

Umbilical hernia repair and tummy tuck performed at the same time ahs a higher incidence of umbilical loss due to loss of some of its blood supply. Commonly when the umbilicus looks dusky or necrosis occurs, the are usually heals pretty well. If it does not a neo-umbilicus can often be created. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD

13 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Dying belly button after a tummy tuck

Sorry to hear about your complication in regards to your tummy button. At 9 days, however, the future is difficult to predict. It is possible that you will have only a superficial loss and it will heal with minimal scar. The treatment ultimately needed will be predicated on the extent of your belly button loss. For a total loss, which is rare, there are reconstructive procedures that can be performed. It's most important that you be patient at this time. The of the worst things a surgeon can... more

Umbilical issues after abdominoplasty

Even if the umbilicus dies, there is a good possibility that the resultant scar will end up looking like a belly button anyway. If it turns out that the tissue dies and resultant scar is not an acceptable one, there are options for creating a neo-umbilicus. Just be patient with your surgeon and address the issues as they develop. You might need to complete some dressing changes for a period of time, but will likely be fine in the end.

Loss of Umbilical Blood Supply after Tummy Tuck and Umbilical Hernia Repair?

I'm sorry to hear about the complication you are experiencing. At this point, however there is not much that can be done but allow time to see how much of the umbilicus survives and what the resulting appearance of the area is. Occasionally, the loss of tissue is superficial and the resulting umbilical appearance is quite acceptable. Sometimes, umbilical reconstruction may be necessary down the line. I would suggest that you continue to follow-up with your plastic surgeon... more

"Dead" belly button after tummy tuck and umbilical hernia repair. What to do.

First of all, congratulate your surgeon on his or her honesty; this CAN occur in any tummy tuck patient, and is certainly more likely when an umbilical hernia is repaired during tummy tuck. The opening in the abdominal wall for your umbilicus (and its blood supply) was stretched, allowing abdominal fat, or if large enough, even abdominal contents such as small intestine to herniate (protrude) through this stretched opening. This is the definition of "umbilical hernia." After pregnancy... more

Umbilical reconstruction...

The umbilicus often has decreased blood supply when a hernia is fixed in conjunction with a tummy tuck. The good news is that even though it looks bad now, it will most likely improve. If you have complete loss, the umbilicus can be reconstructed. There is little to do to improve the situation now - it is "wait and see" time. Good Luck!

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