Is It Safer to Have 2 Short Surgeries or 1 Long Surgery?

I am planning to have some cosmetic surgery. An arm lift and leg lipo that should last around 3-4 hours. I have been contemplating also having a tummy tuck. A tummy tuck would add around 3 additional hours. IS it safer to have 2 shorter surgeries or 1 longer surgery?

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arms legs combination lift recommendation same day

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7 Doctor Answers | Asked by zzzannna in Miami

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2 operations?

There are two factors to having two operations. One is the surgical procedure itself, the second is the anesthetic. For general anesthesia, the most critical times are induction and emergence. Therefore, combining two procedures in one, if expeditionally carried out is probably safer than two surgeries. This may differ by surgeon, profiency of procedures and in fact, anesthesia, personnel and facilities. Many surgeries performed in small office OR's do not... more

Multiple Procedures - Two Surgeries or One?

From your description you wish to have a Tummy Tuck and liposuction of your leg, and an arm lift. In my practice I try to limit surgeries to less than 6 hours to decrease risks. The procedures that you mentioned can all be done in that time period so I would recommend one surgery. To minimize anesthesia and surgical time but not your results I also use a second surgical assistant (surgeon, PA, or RNFA) to decrease total OR time. It is important to go over the increased... more

Surgery times and postoperative recovery.

The first rule of cosmetic surgery is patient safety. Surgery that is over 5 or 6 hours can have a higher rate of complications and often require an overnight hospital stay. Therefore, trying to squeeze as many operations into one surgery is not a smart way to practice medicine. Secondly, the recovery specifics for one operation may contradict the recovery instructions for a different operation. For instance, a tummy tuck will require the patient to use their arms much more to get up from a... more

David Bogue, MD

6 reviews

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

Multiple procedures can be safe and are commonly done.

Doing multiple procedures at the same time is a very common and usually safe. Your surgeon will decide if you are a safe candidate for procedures. This will be based on your health and the surgeons experience. Keep in mind that you need to be a motivated patient. Obviously you willl be sore in more areas at once. It is of great importance fo you to be up an ambulating on your day of surgery. Also make sure that your doctor commonly performs the procedures... more

Combining surgeries in one OR setting

If you are healthy and the surgery can be done safely then it is usually OK to combine these procedures together. It really is a case by case thing, and an exam and medical history are essential. Good luck.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Combined surgeries

This is an excellent question! My standard is twofold. First, the total operative length is important because anything over five hours will intrinsically have greater morbidity and risk of complications. I tell my patients that I am not a speed demon and that the goal is to perform an excellent operation, not to see how fast I can operate or how much I can cram into five hours. Second is the issue of recuoeration. It is easier to recover from a more limited operation than one involving... more

Combined procedures

It is very common to undergo several procedures in one setting. Your surgeon will determine if you are a good candidate for a combined procedure based on your health status (past medical history) and your physicial exam. In addition, your surgeon will determine if an overnight stay at the hospital is warranted. Every surgical plan is unique/different so I encourage you to direct these questions to your surgeon and his staff. Please visit with... more