Had a full no-drainTT five weeks ago and am now having a sharp constant pain in upper left abdomen!

Healing after a  #tummy tuck will require time.  However, in this situation it may best to be seen and evaluated by your doctor or their staff to confirm if you are experiencing a #serious issue. The sooner, the better. If you ever have concerns about your #healing, or pain that you question to be unusual, it is important to call your plastic surgeon to discuss these further asked to be examined.

There are several possibilities for the cause of your pain after tummy tuck. Typically with no drain tummy tuck, multiple internal sutures are used to close the dead space and minimized risks of hematoma or fluid collection. You pain may be caused by scar tissues, nerve irritation, residual capsule from hematoma, muscle irritation, or suture irritation. The best person to sort this out for you is your operating surgeon. If for some reason it's not working out then seek out 2nd opinion from a board certified plastic surgeon. Both ASPS and ASAPS are good starting references for qualified plastic surgeons.

Best Wishes,

Stewart Wang, MD FACS, Wang Plastic Surgery

I love this site because it is a great resource for patients, but sometimes you just need to ask your surgeon.  There are any number of things it could be, so best to have an exam with the surgeon who did the surgery.  If you need a second opinion ask friends for a recommendation or go to the web site of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery where you can search for a board certified plastic surgeon in your area.  Best of luck to you.

It is very difficult without the patient in front of me, but TT, it is painful, because it is a very hard operation, with the treatment of muscle, and muscle has very important artery and vein. It probably with some stitch to touch a nerve, that make this part painful. Please consult your PS    

There are many reasons for pain in that area particularly after a tummy tuck.  A suture used to "tack" down the skin to the muscle could be pinching some muscle or soft tissue, or even a nerve.  Infection or bleeding could also be a source, but may also show other signs.  Non-related issues may be some stomach irritation (ie gastritis, or even an ulcer), or even constipation.  It is best to be examined by your surgeon and be persistent about letting him or her know, even if you don't get a satisfactory answer the 1st time.

This is a hard one to reply to without an actual in person exam. It seems that your surgeon thought it might be hematoma, but could not aspirate any fluid. It could be that it was not a hematoma at all, or that the cavity was filled with clotted blood that could not be aspirated. If so, a second try a week later might be successful.

The diagnosis of hematoma/seroma could be made by an ultrasound exam if the next tap is also negative, and that might guide evaluation and treatment. Another possibility is pain from one of the plication sutures. A try at infiltrating with local anesthesia again if the next tap is dry might be a consideration. 

Do continue to follow with your surgeon. A second opinion might me considered if your symptoms persist and there is no cause found.

Thanks and best wishes. 

Sorry to hear you are having problems.   It is not unusual to have pain after a tummy tuck especially with 4 children and being active.  Somewtimes however you have to go back to your surgeon for evaluation.  It could be nothing more than a muscle pull.  Sometimes after having a hematoma/seroma drained you end up with some excess scar tissue forming that takes time to resolve.  This can pukll on the muscle and be the cause of the pain.  If you are concerned I would see your surgeon sooner rather than later.  Good luck, Dr. Schuster in Boca Raton

Personally, I am not a fan of no drain/plication techniques. I think I have better results and fewer complications with drains. That said a lot of good surgeons have reported good results with this technique.

You need to talk to your surgeon. If you are not comfortable ask him to get a second opinion. Sometimes an ultrasound is helpful to locate a collection but remember aspirations carry their own risks.

The surgeon who did the procedure is usually the best to fix a problem because he knows what was done. The hardest part of any procedure is often knowing how to take care of the complications.

Without a physical examination, it is difficult to fully answer this question. However, it is not uncommon to have patients return at a few months of healing with new aches and pains.  A number of possible explainations exist for this new pain.  You must first evaluate your own activity.  As a young, healthy, active mother healing from this type of surgery,  you are likely doing more than you think.  Four children MAKE you active.  The seroma/hematoma drainage is another factor.  The left side of your belly has had multiple needle punctures and is healing at a slightly slower pace as a result.  This leads to an area of "fat necrosis" that is firm and tender, but does usually resolve.  Lastly, you could have a "neuroma" or nerve ending that is best solved with a steroid injection into the skin.  The good news is this will pass.  None of these issues is permanent, just annoyning.  Good Luck

 

It is very hard to diagnose without and physical exam. It is only 5 weeks so you having discomfort are still normal. You need to follow up with your PS he is the one person that can be accurate.