Tummy tuck with umbilical hernia repair?

Question

I am female 44 yrs. 2 kids aged 15 & 12. I am 170 cms tall n weigh 165 lbs. I have been having an umbilical hernia since the birth of my second child. Very much wanting to do a full tummy tuck combined with a hernia repair. How is the overall recovery in this? How long will i be hospitalised?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Umbilical hernias are quite common and occur in the setting of a previous surgery, pregnancy, or diastasis recti. We treat umbilical hernias with or without correction of diastasis recti using a combination approach that corrects redundant skin in the lower abdomen and around the belly button. If there is a lot of skin, we would use a tummy tuck scar whereas smaller corrections can be performed using just the belly button incision which is well hidden inside your belly button.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Ronald Schuster, MD · Answer

Good question. Yes, the hernia should be repaired at the same time as the tummy tuck. It will not increase your recovery. Tummy tucks are frequently performed as out-patient procedures, however many surgeons have facilities or hospitals that the patients can stay over night. I generally recommend taking 2 weeks off work. Light exercise can begin after six weeks and return to full exercise after 3 months. A compression girdle is generally worn beneath clothing for six weeks. Although you will see a big change within weeks after surgery, it will take approximately 3 months to see the final results. Goood luck.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  The best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation. 
 If you are an appropriate candidate for a tummy tuck, this can be done through a low and short
incision, all completely below the bikini line. 
The belly button can be designed to look natural and have no scars on
the exterior.   Your muscles can also be
plicated resulting in a flat abdomen.  An umbilical hernia can be repaired at the same time.  In my practice, this is an ambulatory surgery and patients go home the same day from surgery. 
Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of
real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate
their results.  The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are
comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified
board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Tummy tuck with umbilical hernia repair may require 6 weeks for recovery or longer before exercise or strenuous activity can be resumed.

Francesco Campanile, MD · Answer

Frequently performed together. During a tummy tuck we have direct access to the belly button stalk and abdominal wall, so repairing an umbilical hernia at the same time is efficient. Small defects may be closed with sutures; larger ones may need mesh. This rarely changes the overall recovery meaningfully. An exam (and sometimes imaging) guides the repair choice.

David A. Lickstein, MD · Answer

These procedures can be combined.  Your plastic surgeon may choose to have a general surgeon involved in your case for the hernia portion.  The recovery should be similar - 2 to 4 weeks.

Hasan Ali, MBBS, MRCS, MS · Answer

Thank you for posting an important question. 
Umbilical hernia is a common finding after child birth and repair can be performed at the time of abdominoplasty. It is usually an anatomical repair and really depends on the approach of the surgeon and whether there is any drain placed or not in abdominoplasty. Usually I keep my patients for one day in the hospital. 
Immediate recovery is around 2 weeks after which you will be able to do routine work. Full recovery can take upto 4-6 weeks. Amount of physical activity depends on the nature of operative findings that should be explained to you by your doctor. 
Liposuction of certain areas of the abdomen can be combine with your full abdominoplasty to give better contour. 
My best wishes.

Tania Medina de Garcia, MD · Answer

Hello dear!Thanks for the question and provided information as well.It's very common to repair an umbilical hernia during a tummy tuck. The recovery time is the same with or without the hernia repair; and in most of the cases the hospitalization is only one night. But remember that everything depend on the clinic and the plastic surgeon you choose.I recommend you to make an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon to talk about your concerns and goal.Good luck :)

Bijoy Methil, MCh, MS, DNB (in memoriam) · Answer

Thanks for your question. Small umbilical hernias can be coupled with a tummy tuck without any change in recovery. The real difference is estimating if its a true large umbilical hernia or a para umbilical one. In the first, for complete closure of the hernial sac you may need a umbilicus to be transected and a neoumbilicoplasty done. Para umbilical hernias can easily be treated with umbilicus preservation. Please consult a board certified plastic surgeon who has also specialised in general surgery. All the best.

Robert T. Buchanan, MD (retired) · Answer

Unless the hernia is excessively large, adding its repair to a standard abdominoplasty should not delay your recovery any. Unless you are doing something significantly different in another part of the body, I rarely hospitalize anyone. Make sure you see a board certified plastic surgeon with general surgery training as they can frequently do everything.