HIV positive tummy tuck and liposuction

Hi, based on being HIV positive alone should not preclude you from having elective plastic surgery. However, you want to seek consultation from only a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to discuss your options. Being a MRSA carrier and HIV positive does put you at increased risk for complications and you want to make sure that your surgeon feels comfortable with your medical history and you have thorough understanding of the possible risks involved. #tummytuck #abdominoplasty #shouldigetplasticsurgery

With the appropriate clearance from the medical doctor that takes care of you the surgery could be performed.

Greetings. In general, if your health is stable, you should be able to have the procedures you seek.  Ultimately, you would need a consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss the situation and the surgical risks. Good luck!

There is no reason you could not have a tummy tuck.All the best!Dr. Robert Shenker MD FRCSC 

It sounds like you are on the right track regarding lab values. Plastic surgeons do lots of surgery on patients with HIV, especially given the fat distribution changes that can occur after being on retroviral therapy for a period of time. Most surgeons require a recent viral load, CD4 count, and a clearance note from your infectious disease doctor. There are no other special precautions with regard to HIV as healthcare workers use standard universal precautions for all patients. The case being elective is of no consequence. Regarding MRSA carrier status, there are certain treatments that can be done to minimize this risk, including Hibiclens scrubs and intranasal Bactroban. Your preoperative antibiotics may also need to be changed accordingly. Regarding the feeding tube history, it is not unusual for patients to have had a history of intra-abdominal procedures. It does not greatly increase your risk of complications. Go sit down with a surgeon board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and ask him/her all your questions. Bringing recent lab results to the appointment will be useful. Hope that helps! CDK

Yes, with proper medical clearance you can have a tummy tuck. However, considering your medical history it would be up to your surgeon if he/she felt it was worth the risk of possible HIV exposure for an elective case.