Had a Tummy Tuck 5 Years Ago Still Have Problems with Belly Button

2007 I had a tummy tuck done and after a year started to have oozing from my belly button. First I was told that I had a subcutaneous tissue infection. Of course I have had my stint of antibiotics off and on since then. Have had tender pain in belly button area, but started having pains in my left side. Since then found out I have a sinus trac. What are my options? Supposed to go out of country in 12 days...afraid of being somewhere and having something really go wrong.

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belly button sinus oozing pain 5 years post-op options

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2 Doctor Answers | Asked by Starkisses86

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Umbilical revision for sinus tract

If you have a draining sinus tract this far out from your tummy tuck, then it is fairly likely that you have a problem that will require surgical intervention. It is quite possible that a suture abscess can cause this type of problem. Since many surgeons use non-absorbable sutures to tighten the abdominal muscles during a tummy tuck it is very likely that you have this type of suture in the base of this non-healing wound. If that is the case, it should be removed.

Chronic problems from belly button

If you have had chronic drainagage from your umbilicus, you have an ongoing inadaquately treated problem. I'm sure it took you so long to seek help! You probably need to have an umbilicoplasty from a surgeon who is not tentative about this problem. If there is a smoldering infection, this must be widely removed, cultures taken etc and then artistically reconstructed. The good news is that if there are problems with how the belly button appears now that is the time to... more