How will Liposuction on my flanks during Tummy Tuck affects my healing? Are there holes and oozing?

Question

I'm having a drainless full tummy tuck done in June. The doctor had mentioned doing some lipo on my flanks during the TT. How will this affect healing? Will I have holes and oozing? I don't have my pre op for a long time yet and this question just came to mind. Thank you

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Over the years, surgeons have improved procedures and found ways to eliminate the need for #drains commonly used in a #tummy #tuck or #abdominoplasty, and a variety of other operations. I have found that most of my patients do very well with the exception of those have large areas of liposuction or lipo-abdominoplasty. Any extra fluid may be reabsorbed back into the body without the use of drains.  I may use drains on a case by case basis for these patients. If you go to a plastic #surgeon who uses drains, or if your situation requires drains, they usually stay in 3-5 days but may be required to remain in longer. The use of tissue #glue is to adhere the abdominal #skin to the #muscle. It is a new option and alternative to sutures in a tummy tuck. If you go to a plastic #surgeon who uses drains, or if your situation requires drains, they usually stay in 3-5 days but may be required to remain in longer. Healing after a  #tummytuck will require time. Some patients are out of bed and walking the night of surgery and every hour while awake. I allow my patients to return to work at one to two weeks with 14 days preferred.  However, no lifting or straining.  At three weeks, increased level of activity and full with no restrictions, at 6 weeks. If during your healing, you have any concerns, it is suggested to call your board-certified surgeon or their medical staff and discuss those #concerns.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

A tummy tuck (with muscle repair) with liposuction of the flanks is very common in my practice.  I do not make separate incisions for the liposuction so holes are not an issue.  Find
 a plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of tummy tucks and liposuction procedures each year, has great reviews, and has great before and after 
pictures.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Pablo Prichard, MD · Answer

Thank you for your post.  Whenever there is a potential space in your body, your body tends to fill that space with serous fluid (the yellow type of fluid that also comes out of a 'weeping wound'.  This is similar to when you get a blister: the layers of skin separate and fluid is deposited in to the space.  In a tummy tuck, the space is in between the skin/fat layer and the muscle layer.  Most surgeons will place a drain to remove this fluid while your body is secreting it until the fat layer grows back together with the muscle layer.  At that point, no more fluid is secreted into the area, because there is no more space for fluid.  The length of time that this takes varies from patient to patient.  Some patients heal much faster, thus the layers seal together much faster.  Also, the more twisting motion you have in your belly area, the slower the two layers grow back together because they are moving in relation to each other.  The fluid coming through the drain can be initially dark red, and eventually clears to pink then yellow.  This is because it takes just a little bit of blood to make the fluid dark red.  Also, initially, there can be a large amount of fluid (few hundred cc's in the first day is not out of the range of normal) and this should slow down substantially over next few days.  Once the fluid slows down to the amount that your surgeon is comfortable with (usually 25-50 cc in 24 hours) then they will be pulled. There is minimal discomfort in pulling the drain in most patients.  More recently, 'drain free' surgery has become more popular. Fat layer is sutured down to the muscle layer starting at the ribs and progressively down to the lower incision.  This makes the space for the fluid to collect much smaller, and in many patients can have surgery without drains.  However, I have seen multiple patients come from other surgeons because they developed a seroma despite the suturing of the tissue.  This is not the surgeon's fault, but some patients just do not heal fast enough or put out too much fluid for the body to absorb.  Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Curtis Wong, MD · Answer

are done routinely together without draining holes.  Most doctors will use a posterior access site as well but they heal quite well.  When you're at your pre-op, you should ask your doctor as well since your surgeon is the one who will be responsible for your healing and who wants the best outcome for you as well.

Jaime Campos Leon, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.Liposuction with tummy tuck is very common, the liposuction incision  will be sutured close and no oozing will be present.Dr. Campos

How will Liposuction on my flanks during Tummy Tuck affects my healing? Are there holes and oozing?

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How will Liposuction on my flanks during Tummy Tuck affects my healing? Are there holes and oozing?

Answers (7)

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Answer: Tummy tuck with liposuction flanks

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