Appendectomy Gone Wrong- What Are My Options For Scar Removal? (photo)

Your appendectomy scar could possibly be revised and more than likely it shoudl have no effect on pregnancy.  The scar could even be removed and converted toa tummy tuck scar( transverse) after you have completed all your pregnancies.

First an explanation of what happened to you and then we will go over your options.

It appears you were quite sick when you presented to the hospital and your surgeons knew they had to operate on you but were not sure the process was a contained appendicitis. To leave all their options (and visibility) open they decided NOT to go through a classic right lower quadrant (McBurney) incision and opted for an infraumbilical midline incisions which allows access to the entire pelvis.  They must have encountered a ruptured appendix and tried closing the skin surface anyway but a skin infection with anaerobic organisms (air intolerant germs as are found in the colon) took place. The solution - exactly what they did. Open the skin surface, let air in and clean the wound with daily dressing changesuntil the infection cleared AND the wound resurfaced (referred to in surgical speak as healing by secondary intention)

Your options at this time are:
- do nothing. Of course nothing will change for better or worse.
- REVISE the scar. The scar CAN be significantly made better by using Plastic surgery principles and techniques
- PUNT - You can delay the revision until AFTER you complete your family. Odds are that if you are like the vast majority of women, the baby(ies) would stretch the tummy wall and underlying muscles sufficiciently so at the time of a subsequent Tummy Tuck or Mommy MakeOver ALL the skin span from the belly button to your Mons pubia (including this ugly scar) can easily be removed. It will be exchanged for a much nicer and thinner transverse scar hidden in your panties' confines.

The choice is yours.

Good Luck.

Peter A Aldea, MD