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Posted underDiastasis Recti Repair q&a

3.5cm tear - Keyhole diastisis repair or full abdominoplasty?

curioustokno111Nov 15, 2025
I have a 3.5cm tear which has caused significant issues with back injuries and posture and have been recommended it is surgically repaired. I am very lean and physically fit and healthy (47 year old female) so do not need a tummy tuck or anything other than the muscle repair. As such I’d like to explore keyhole surgery however it is not common in Australia.Is keyhole surgery an option for this type of repair or is the full abdominoplasty a better or more effective approach. If key hole is a suitable option I would travel overseas and consider countries such as turkey, possible also getting a mini facelift - would this be possible to have the two surgeries in the one trip?

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Dr. Daniel Barrett, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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Answered on Dec 1, 2025
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Daniel Barrett, MD

Dear skylee30, it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Generally speaking, it is possible to get diastasis recti repair without tummy tuck. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get...

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Daniel Barrett, MD

Dear Saydeechan, it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations. Daniel Barrett, MD Certified, American Board...

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Elisa Stein, MD

Cloverqueen,At the time of your diastases repair a nerve may have been irritated due to its location related to the muscle repair. When you perform certain activities with your rectus muscles, the suture might pull and irritate the area again. Try to notice if certain core muscle activities make...

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Kyle Summers, DO

While exact statistics vary, studies suggest that DR repair failure or recurrence after abdominoplasty occurs in approximately 5-20% of cases, with higher rates in severe DR (>6cm), obesity, or when complications like hematoma or infection occur. The impact you experienced could have...

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Steve Laverson, MD, FACS

Excellent points. In my experience, repair of a wide diastasis, often the result of multiple births and perhaps baseline abdominal wall weakness, consistently offers functional benefit when the patient is suffering. Not only can the patient perform core exercises better, but I've seen urinary...

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Jerimiah Mason, MD

Based on the images you posted I don't see evidence of an umbilical hernia. It looks more like a diastasis recti. You would probably see benefits if you had the diastasis repaired with a tummy tuck.

+2 answers
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