Is it safe to be sent home right after a mommy makeover?

In our practice, every patient who receives a tummy tuck goes to Aftercare. This is not only for comfort (although the pain pumps now have greatly reduced the need for narcotics), but for monitoring of blood oxygen, vital signs and safety.
It is advisable to consider Aftercare or a night's stay in the hospital whenever multiple procedures or large procedures are performed, or if any health issues are present.
You can talk about the risks with your surgeon in your individual case.

Thank you for your question regarding the safety of going home on the same day after a mommy makeover, which includes a tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast augmentation. It's natural to have concerns about recovery after such comprehensive procedures.

A mommy makeover is commonly performed as an outpatient procedure, meaning patients are not required to stay overnight in a hospital. However, whether you should go home the same day can depend on several factors, including the extent of the surgery, your overall health, and how you react to anesthesia.

You mentioned your surgeon is board-certified, which is excellent as it ensures your surgeon meets high standards in training and safety. If your surgeon has assessed that it is safe for you to go home the same day, and you have someone to assist you at home, then it should generally be okay to do so. It's important to have support at home because you'll need help with mobility, managing pain, and performing daily activities for the first few days to weeks.

Alternatively, you can opt to stay in a recovery center or an aftercare facility where medical staff can monitor your initial recovery phase. This might be a reassuring option if you are particularly anxious, or if your surgeon recommends it based on your specific circumstances.

Discuss your recovery options and any concerns with your surgeon. They can provide personalized advice based on their understanding of your medical history and the specifics of the procedures you will undergo. This way, you can make an informed decision that prioritizes your safety and comfort.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Breast and body contouring at the same time is safe provided you are in good health with no medical conditions. If the doctor has a fully accredited office operating room and is board certified with a properly trained anesthesiologist, that is fine. Going home after these procedures is typical provided your doctor is closely monitoring your post-op course.

Patient safety is very important, especially during and after surgery.  While there is more risk with longer surgeries, anesthesia and surgical techniques are continually evolving to improve outcomes and safety.  I personally use a hospital-based operating room, with MD anesthesiology oversight of CRNAs. We offer overnight stays in the hospital for any patient who asks.  And for patients who have surgeries longer than 4 hours, I strongly recommend they stay overnight. All patients are seen either in the hospital or in my office the next day, regardless of their surgery day. I use blood thinners on patients at higher risks for DVTs (blood clots) especially if they are having abdominoplasty.  My personal limit is 5 hours of surgery for cosmetic patients, so if it would be longer, then a second surgery would be necessary.  It is important to discuss all of these issues with your surgeon prior to booking your procedure.  Good luck. 

Thanks for your question.
While every patient is unique and there are certainly exceptions, having a combined tummy tuck/liposuction and breast augmentation is a routine surgery and most often goes home the same day.  That being said there are many ways to assure that this is done as safely as possible.  Is the surgery being done in an accredited surgical facility?  What precautions are being used to prevent post operative complications such as DVT?  Will you have a responsible adult with you for at least the first 24 hours after surgery?  How will your pain be managed after surgery?  These are the types of questions I would want to know the answers to before having surgery.
Best wishes.

Dear me shell,
Mommy makeovers are very often performed as outpatient procedures, and for the vast majority of patients it is perfectly safe to return home the same day. Combining a tummy tuck, liposuction and breast augmentation is very common and would not be considered an exceptionally intensive mommy makeover that might require an overnight stay. Some surgeons will offer patients the opportunity to stay overnight in an aftercare facility, but if your surgeon does not have that option then you should not feel nervous about starting your recovery at home. You should spend adequate time in a recovery room at your surgical facility to ensure that your anesthesia is wearing off and that you are stable to go home.  You should also have a follow-up appointment scheduled for a few days to a week after your procedure so that your surgeon can check on you, and you should have an open line of communication to your surgeon’s office in case any concerns arise at home. Be sure to follow your surgeon’s recovery instructions carefully and always call your surgeon first with any questions. Best wishes!
Franziska Huettner

We give our Mommy Makeover patients the option of staying overnight in our after-care facility. Most patients, however, opt to go home the same day and return to our clinic for follow-up one week later. This system has worked well for over 10 years, in our practice. We typically combine tummy tuck surgery with cosmetic breast surgery and liposuction.

Every patient is different and recoveries always vary. In my practice, I always send my patients to an after care for the first 24 hours. There are safety measures that can be done in a monitored facility that can't be done at home. This is a long surgery and appropriate safety measures should be in place.

It is often, but not always, safe to go home after abdominoplasty with liposuction. Some of the important factors are the length of surgery and the volume of liposuction. Adding breast augmentation usually only adds about 40 minutes to the surgery, and therefore changes the overall risk very little.

Thank you for your question! For my patients having any procedure, I base the decision on them staying overnight at the surgery center on factors such as their height, weight, medical history, and length of surgery time. Not all patients having a mommy makeover meet the requirements to stay overnight. I hope this helps!

Your concern is a valid one. In the plastic surgery community where I practice, it is the standard of care to perform a complete mommy makeover in a credentialed surgical center where patients have the option of staying overnight. Most patients opt to stay for a 23 hour observation. Although some patients feel like they could go home later the same day, most are happy to have a caring and competent nurse help them throughout the first night. If patients go home, well-intentioned loved ones may fall asleep in the middle of the night, leaving the patient unattended to and could be dangerous. It's nice to have a nurse with the patient overnight to monitor their vital signs and give them fluids and pain medications as needed. Family members are not usually trained well for that first night postoperative. I feel like some doctors don't offer overnight stays because they want to keep the cost down to the patient and they don't want to pay a surgical center to operate there because then they make less money overall. Bottom line, one should never think about money over safety.