I've heard of some plastic surgeons around the country performing awake tummy tucks; Is this a legitimate procedure that can give you good results if you need a full tummy tuck, or is this considered dangerous with minimal results?
Answer: Tummy tuck should be done under general anesthesia.
Due to many factors and the length of the procedure, you should not do it under anything other than general anesthesia. It is better for both you and your surgeon. You don't want to be awake for a tummy tuck, it may sound like a good idea but it is not.
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Answer: Tummy tuck should be done under general anesthesia.
Due to many factors and the length of the procedure, you should not do it under anything other than general anesthesia. It is better for both you and your surgeon. You don't want to be awake for a tummy tuck, it may sound like a good idea but it is not.
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Answer: Full tummy tuck usually best under general anesthesia
Paramount in planning surgery is the patient's safety and comfort. With modern methods for general anesthesia, it is extremely safe and I frankly see no benefit to trying to do it under local. What ever the choice you make, be certain that the surgery will be done in a fully accredited facility.
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Answer: Full tummy tuck usually best under general anesthesia
Paramount in planning surgery is the patient's safety and comfort. With modern methods for general anesthesia, it is extremely safe and I frankly see no benefit to trying to do it under local. What ever the choice you make, be certain that the surgery will be done in a fully accredited facility.
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February 25, 2011
Answer: Is your surgeon a board certified plastic surgeon?
Some surgeries can be performed under sedation and local anesthesia without a breathing tube. I prefer not to with a tummy tuck becasue 99% involve some form of muscle repair. I think it is hard to achieve comfort with this procedure and the muscles often need to be relaxed with medicine to help facilitate the best repair. The more important point is that many surgeons who have not completed formal training in plastic surgery and are not board certified plastic surgeons are usually unable to get priveleges to perform a tummy tuck in a certified surgery center or hospital. Thus, they perform "awake" tummy tucks in their office as an alternative. See my website for videos discussing the operation and best of luck.
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February 25, 2011
Answer: Is your surgeon a board certified plastic surgeon?
Some surgeries can be performed under sedation and local anesthesia without a breathing tube. I prefer not to with a tummy tuck becasue 99% involve some form of muscle repair. I think it is hard to achieve comfort with this procedure and the muscles often need to be relaxed with medicine to help facilitate the best repair. The more important point is that many surgeons who have not completed formal training in plastic surgery and are not board certified plastic surgeons are usually unable to get priveleges to perform a tummy tuck in a certified surgery center or hospital. Thus, they perform "awake" tummy tucks in their office as an alternative. See my website for videos discussing the operation and best of luck.
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February 24, 2011
Answer: Awake tummy tuck is possible.
Surgery procedures can be done with patients awake but the proper choices of patients and procedures must be considered. A patient must feel comfortable during surgery with being awake or perhaps with a slight amount of sedation. The area to be operated on must be able to be numbed completely by a safe level of local anesthesia. If the patient has no pain, a safe level of local anesthesia can be used and the patient can feel relaxed during the procedure then it could be accomplished. The patient must understand that the local anesthesia must be injected into the areas to be worked on and this can be momentarily uncomfortable. I would think this would work best for people with small amounts of tissue to remove. The larger the area, the more local anesthesia would be required and this could lead to dangerous levels of anesthesia in the blood.
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February 24, 2011
Answer: Awake tummy tuck is possible.
Surgery procedures can be done with patients awake but the proper choices of patients and procedures must be considered. A patient must feel comfortable during surgery with being awake or perhaps with a slight amount of sedation. The area to be operated on must be able to be numbed completely by a safe level of local anesthesia. If the patient has no pain, a safe level of local anesthesia can be used and the patient can feel relaxed during the procedure then it could be accomplished. The patient must understand that the local anesthesia must be injected into the areas to be worked on and this can be momentarily uncomfortable. I would think this would work best for people with small amounts of tissue to remove. The larger the area, the more local anesthesia would be required and this could lead to dangerous levels of anesthesia in the blood.
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September 1, 2015
Answer: Anesthesia for a Tummy Tuck
The thought of an awake tummy tuck makes me very nervous. One main difference between an average and outstanding tummy tuck is the amount of muscle plication. It is impossible to get an equivocal muscle repair with a patient awake. I use general anesthesia for all my tummy tucks and always ask my board certified anesthesiologist to give a medication to relax the muscles prior to repair. This allows me to tighten the muscles very effectively while knowing the patient is safely monitored, comfortable, and stable due to the general anesthesia.
Awake Tummy tuck requires very high doses of local anesthesia that can have significant cardiac effects even hours after administration. In addition, it is important to ask your surgeon performing awake tummy tuck, if they have privileges to perform this same procedure in any hospital or accedited surgery center. I would be very skeptical of any physician who does not have this.
I wish you a safe and healthy recovery
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September 1, 2015
Answer: Anesthesia for a Tummy Tuck
The thought of an awake tummy tuck makes me very nervous. One main difference between an average and outstanding tummy tuck is the amount of muscle plication. It is impossible to get an equivocal muscle repair with a patient awake. I use general anesthesia for all my tummy tucks and always ask my board certified anesthesiologist to give a medication to relax the muscles prior to repair. This allows me to tighten the muscles very effectively while knowing the patient is safely monitored, comfortable, and stable due to the general anesthesia.
Awake Tummy tuck requires very high doses of local anesthesia that can have significant cardiac effects even hours after administration. In addition, it is important to ask your surgeon performing awake tummy tuck, if they have privileges to perform this same procedure in any hospital or accedited surgery center. I would be very skeptical of any physician who does not have this.
I wish you a safe and healthy recovery
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