Car Accident 1 Year Following TT- Bulging, Muscle Spasms

I had a tummy tuck a year ago. Three months ago I was rear ended by a car going 55mph. Since then I've had pain and a lot of muscle spasms along with a bulge below my belly button. Due to insurance, I had a surgeon switch. The new surgeon says it's NOT accident related, though none of this was before the accident?? He also wants to do the whole operation over with added lipo (which will cost me $$ out of the pocket). I don't think this sounds right. Any advice, please?

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accident bulging spasms 1 year post-op

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by LinR12 in Lexington, SC

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Auto accident and tummy tuck impact.

A year after a tummy tuck, the abdominal tightening is well healed. A car accident is very unlikely to cause any "bulging" from the abdomen. If you truly have abnormal bulging, the recommendation would be to see a general surgeon to evaluate for a possible ventral hernia. These bulges are commonly evaluated with a CT scan. If a symptomatic ventral hernia does exist, this may be covered by insurance depending upon your policy coverage. Not sure how an... more

David Bogue, MD

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Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

Tummy tuck repair after auto accident

One year after a tummy tuck your abdomen is soundly healed and it is unlikely that an auto accident could alter your results. The muscle spasms makes sense, and if there is a bulge then a CT scan of the abdomen will confirm if the bulge is related to a ventral hernia. The advice of 'do the whole operation over with lipo' sounds like a red flag to us, and we suggest other opinions. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd

Abdominal bulge following tummy tuck

Tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure and never covered under medical insurance. It would be difficult to imagine a car accident 9 months following the procedure having an impact on the fascial repair ("muscle tightening"), however if your original surgeon has post-operative photos confirming your post-operative appearance prior to the accident, you may potentially have a claim against the auto insurer. If you originally had a hernia repair as part of the procedure, the... more

Doing a Re-Do Tummy Tuck under Insurance Coverage

A Tummy Tuck is a Cosmetic operation. An operation done to improve appearance NOT function. No insurance company that I am aware of would knowingly pay for a cosmetic operation and the vast majority of Plastic surgeons are not willing to risk their integrity and potentially much more by lying to insurance companies to get such cases approved. Your surgery MAY be partially paid by your insurer if you have a VENTRAL HERNIA (the presence of an weakness in the tummy wall and the slippage of... more