Bloated lower belly and sutures popping after Tummy tuck

I had a tummy tuck with muscle repair 9 weeks ago. During the surgery my abdominal hernia was also fixed. My lower abdomen feels tight and looks round and bloated. Also, I have several sutures that are poking out of the muscle under the skin. You can see and feel them.

My general surgeon said she used sutures that will dissolve in time. Why are they popping through? She suggested that the bloating feeling is due to the weakness in the muscles and that my insides were pushing against the muscle and skin giving me the tight, bloated feeling. She also said that exercise would help this. I would like another opinion about these two issues. Thank you.

2 answers to “Bloated lower belly and sutures...”

A: Tummy Tuck Post-op

Jack Gelman, MD

Its unclear if you had both a general surgeon do the hernia repair and a plastic surgeon do the tummy tuck or did one surgeon do both. Its time to have a frank discussion with your surgeons and expresss your concerns. The internet helps for information, but it is not a  substitute for direct consultation... more

A: Postoperative issues after a tummy tuck

Sean A. Simon, MD

There is certainly no substitute than a honest discussion of the issues you have with your plastic surgeon.   Your questions and concerns should be addressed so that you can understand what to expect regarding the postoperative healing process.  In general terms:  sutures that pop or spit... more

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