How Many Deaths Occur From Tummy Tucks?

Never had a patient with a fatal complication. However, rather than looking for statistics on the subject, make sure to research the place and the surgeon you are planning for your procedure. Following simple rules will save you from worrying about the death rate from the procedure. First of all make sure your surgeon is board certified plastic surgeon and shows many years of experience in tummy tuck surgery. Ask for the gallery-no good pictures, more likely no results. The facility should be fully accredited with hospital type safety. Make sure there is highly trained and experienced anesthesiologist on the staff. By following all the above you should feel safe about the place you choose. In our place anesthesiologist perform deep sedation rather general anesthesia - less chance for serious complications! 

Hi there-

Because it is an elective procedure performed for the sole purpose of making you happier with your appearance, it really doesn't make any sense to take unnecessary risks in order to have a Tummy Tuck, right?

So, understanding that there will always be some risks to any surgical procedure, we can responsibly say to you that-

if you are a healthy person without significant medical problems, and if the circumstances surrounding your surgery are optimal (surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery, accredited surgical facility, Board Certified Anesthesiologist), the risk of a significant complication during or after your tummy tuck should be very very low.


I personally believe that the common life threatening risk after abdominoplasty is ENTIRELY preventable (blood clot in the leg)- but the degree to which your risks are affected by your choices cannot be overstated.

In the right hands, your tummy tuck should be a very safe and satisfying experience (provided you are healthy and a good candidate). Good luck!

Deaths do occur from time to time after tummy tucks, not usually during a tummy tuck.  The most common cause of postoperative death is a pulmonary embolus resulting from a blood clot forming in your thigh.  So it is important to reduce the risk of this problem by (1) making sure you don't have a contraindication to surgery, (2) avoiding paralysis of your muscles during surgery and prone positioning, (3) using sequential compression devices during surgery, and (4) getting up walking quickly after surgery.  Keep in mind, you can develop a blood clot even without surgery.  I believe that if all these precautions are taken, your risk is not much more than your 'baseline" risk without surgery.  Other important factors are surgeon experience and a licensed facility.  Be sure to talk openly about all your concerns with your doctor.  Usually, the better informed you are the less you will worry.

It's great that you are thinking about surgery and complications, since this is something that you will want to discuss with your surgeon and feel comfortable with.  While very rare, all surgeries carry a small risk of bad complications like the ones you mention.  That is why it is so important to make sure that your surgeon is board certified  in plastic surgery, you have your procedure done in an accredited facility, and you tell him or her about your medical history and medications.   Don't feel afraid to bring up these concerns with your doctor - they should always be discussed  before surgery as part of informed consent. 

Thank you for the question. The best published data I can find regarding mortality rates associated with tummy tuck surgery range from 0.02% to 0.16%.   In other words, mortality rates are extremely low. The most common cause of that is related to pulmonary embolism (blood clots that moved to the patient's lungs).





Your best bet: choose your plastic surgeon very carefully; everything else including good judgment/advice/planning, anesthesia provider and safe surgery facility will follow. 



This careful selection should give you some peace of mind that you will be safe around the time of surgery. 







Best wishes.