Two-hour Driving for Tummy Tuck

asked 2 years ago by gml in denver
Latest answer by Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Question viewed 525 times
Tags: abdomen, travel

I live 2 hours away from Denver and want to do a Tummy Tuck there. What are the follow-up appoinments like? Will I have to keep driving back and forth?

10 answers to Two-hour Driving for Tummy Tuck

Follow-up after tummy tuck

Most of our patients travel in from far away. We usually recommend they spend 7-10 days in the area, depending on the type of tummy tuck being performed. If they live relatively close (i.e. 2 hours), they often travel home between their 1st day and 5th day appointments. We usually see patients the day after surgery (Day1) they spend the night of surgery in an aftercare facility with a registered nurse (RN). The next appointments are on Day 1, Day 5 or Day 7, but this changes from patient... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

The recovery after a tummy tuck

Our patients should be fully aware of the fact that an abdominoplasty is one of the greatest operations that we do... and they require some recovery. At first the pain is controlled with narcotics (pain pills). At Dallas Day Surgery Center, we have a facility (The Cloister) that allows for our patients to stay the night and a nurse assists with your care from scheduled medications to drain and wound care. There are typically two drains placed on full abdominoplasties. On ocassion, I won't place more

Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

www.DoctorMeade.com

2 hours away for a tummy tuck

I perform a substantial number of tummy tucks on patients who come to me from more than 2 hours away. What we do is have them check into a hotel the day before surgery so their room is all set. The next day they have their surgery and go back to the hotel for the night. I call them that night and see them the next day. Since all sutures are dissolvable, the next visit is to remove the drain which is usually in 7-10 days depending on when it gets down to a low volume of output. For... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Long distance drive following tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)

There are many issues to address for follow up care and not all of these are predictable. Typically drains are placed and once removed, there is a potential for fluid accumulation which may need repeated treatment. AT the very minimum, it is likely that the surgeon will want to see you early in the few days after surgery and you may want to consider staying for 1 or 2 days locally. Subsequent to this you will need to have the drain removed. Arrangements can be made by you for this removal... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Should at stay for at least one night after Tummy Tuck

As you can see the expert panel all feel you should stay at least one post operative night to as much as 10 days. I would plan a minimum of 2 nights to 7 nights after surgery. See how your recovery is progressing to make a final determination on the length of stay. Regards.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Long drives after BIG Surgery

A tummy tuck is one of the most painful and debilitating procedures we do. It requires a large commitment on both the part of the patient and doctor. My protocol is that the patient will be on serious medications for 10 days to two weeks. Still, the patient will be stiff and sore, so driving even for short distances is difficult. If you are absolutely set on this doctor, be sure you have a driver to help you with the trips for the first several weeks at least. The link below will give you... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Post-op care for tummy tucks

First of all, all tummy tucks are not created equal so the recovery is naturally different. Most, if not all, of the tummy tucks I do will require the patient to stay in a post-op care facility. This is for safety as well as for comfort. The stay is on average about two nights. Long drives may be uncomfortable for the first week. In addition, if a patient is slow to move, she might have difficulty exiting a car in an accident. Usually, a patient will go home for a week after the post-opcare... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Two hour drive for tummy tuck

Hi gml, When I have patients from out of town, I always tell them to prepare for the worst case scenario, so if it happens that you need frequent follow up, your entire life will not be disrupted. I would want you to arrive the day prior to your surgery. If the car ride was longer, I would want you to have an ultrasound of your legs to make sure you have no blood clots prior to surgery. After surgery, I would want you stay in town for at least 72 hours. I would see you in the office on a... more

Tracy Pfeifer, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Long distance Tummy Tuck not uncommon

It is not uncommon for me to see patients who live two or more hours away. I encourage even my patients from Louisville to spend at least one night in the hospital. I am fortunate to practice at a hospital which discounts rooms to a degree that the costs are comparable to a hotel. It is necessary in my practice to be seen 2-3 times in the first 3-4 weeks post-op. Since I do not allow patients having TTs to drive for 10-14 days, someone is required to drive them to the office once or twice.... more

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Following Up with your Surgeon After a Tummy Tuck

The success of an operation does not only depend on picking the right surgeon and having the right operation but ALSO on your following ALL of your doctor's instruction, including showing up for all the scheduled post-operative visits. Post-operative visits are scheduled to make sure your healing goes on schedule. If you do not plan on following up with your surgeon, be honest and tell your surgeon your concerns and plans BEFORE he / she operates and you. Both you and him then need to... more