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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.

Asked 35 months ago by 123chris in jacksonville, nc

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side effects

Visible sutures and bulging belly after tummy tuck

I am not sure what you mean by "poking out". In a patient with thin skin, the sutures can be visible; particularly the sutures for the muscle repair are thicker and may be more palpable than the remaining sutures used in an abdominopasty. Your surgeon may be correct in saying that your insides are pushing outwards; in some people with poor muscle tone, muscle strengthening is necessary to optimize the result. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Abdominal bulge and popping

It is difficult to say what the popping and suture palpability is all about without examining you. I would follow closely with your surgeon.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Lower belly bulging and sutures popping after tummy tuck

Tummy tucks are a very popular and effective technique to contour the abdomen. Patients who undergo this procedure should understand that there is a significant recovery process. Immediately after the tummy tuck, care must be taken to not put undue stress or tension onto the abdominal wall, especially if a muscle repair has been performed. We ask our patients not to lift more than 5 pounds for the first month at half and we provide two separate garments to every patient to help them... more

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B. Pat Pazmino, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Tummy Tuck Post-op

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 and examination. Best of luck.

Jack Gelman, MD

Frankfort Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Postoperative issues after a tummy tuck

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 through the skin can occur after any type of surgery whether or not they are of the dissolvable variety. This is an issue is typically self limited and the sutures that are coming through can be easily... more