What are the chances of going into cardiac arrest from surgery?

In properly selected patients, cosmetic surgery should remain very safe. Especially, in young patients with no medical issues.A board certified plastic surgeon operating in a fully accredited facility with a board certified anesthesiologist should be the standard. Any medical issues should be addressed with proper clearance, if indicated.

Risks Particularly Associated with Tummy Tuck
seroma (fluid collection, which typically must be drained with a needle and syringe)dehiscence (breakdown of the wound)skin necrosis (death of part of the skin)umbilical loss (death of the belly button)nerve injury (usually the most common injury is to the lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh although generalized cutaneous numbness at the incision site is common)hypertrophic scar or keloid (typically more common in darker skin individuals or in people predisposed to this, usually runs in families, although the etiology is mutifactorial)slow healing (particularly in poor nutrition, diabetics, or in steroids)Good Candidates for Tummy Tuck
HealthyClose to his or her ideal body weight (within 20%)Wishes to address lax abdominal tissue that is diet and exercise resistantStable weight for at least 6 monthsGood skin tone and elasticityRealistic expectations

The risk of death is extremely low with plastic surgery. although rare it does tend to make the headlines and is scary.   I g hv ave notices one thing in common in these cases and that is a surgeon doing too much at one time. That’s why they get into trouble.

Imaginative1840Thank you for bringing up an important point. Sometimes people don’t think of cosmetic surgery as an operation with inherent risks and take it a bit too lightly. It is important to understand that cosmetic or elective surgery is still an operation and precautions always need to be taken. Board-certified plastic surgeons understand this, and we perform these surgeries in fully certified operative facilities with stringent criteria which must be met to be awarded certification. Also, careful preoperative examination and history as well as bloodwork are included prior to surgery. These precautions greatly decrease the risks, but don’t eliminate them. However the combination of significant advances in patient monitoring equipment and medications used in anesthesia greatly enhance the possibilities of a safe operation. The fact that you are young with little or no medical issues also greatly in your favor. Consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area and discuss your concerns. Good luck.

Dear Imaginative1840,
any surgical procedure has a risk of complications. In case of tummy tuck , the risk is low as long as you are healthy. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD

Like all surgeries, Tummy Tucks carry the risks of bleeding, infection, blood clots and the risk of anesthesia. However, the risks are very minimal, for my patients I have a team of licensed and credentialed professionals and my surgery center is an accredited state-of-the-art facility, with a board certified anesthesiologist. We are contiguous to a hospital, which greatly minimizes these risks. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon and discuss your concerns. Good luck.

The risk of serious complications during surgery is extremely rare.  There are many safety steps taken before you even are approved for surgery including a complete review of your health history, an examination, and review of your medications.  During the procedure you are closely monitored by an anesthesiologist and have an entire trained medical team beside you with the number one priority being your safety.  To help keep risk low be sure to see only a board certified plastic surgeon.  Furthermore, ensure that the facility where you have your procedure is accredited.

The mistake that people make is that they think that cosmetic surgery is not real surgery. Cosmetic surgery is not makeup, it is not a facial, it as real surgery! Your risk from general anesthesia are the same risks you would have if you're having a heart bypass surgery, an appendectomy, a colon resection for cancer.
Patients must be realistic and clear about what they're doing.  This is not a McDonald's drive-through were a cheap price is only thing that matters.

Thank you for the important question; understanding the potential risks/complications associated with tummy tuck (or any other type of surgery) is very important. Also, understanding the significant recovery associated with the operation will be important as well. 
The majority of serious complications that may occur with tummy tuck surgery occur within the first 2 weeks. These may include deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, infection, bleeding, and even death. Fortunately, the potential for these types of major complications are very small, assuming careful selection of plastic surgeon, anesthesiologist, and fully accredited surgery facility. 
Other types of complications that are more likely include superficial incision line healing problems ( wound healing problems), seromas, abdominal wall asymmetry, abnormal scarring, unsatisfactory cosmetic result…Additional surgery may be indicated for multiple reasons.
 
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.

you need to realize that we all drive and swim etc yet people are always dying in car accidents or drowning or dying from stepping on a bee in their bare feet etc. if you are in good health and the person putting you to sleep is qualified, it is extremely unlikely that you will have a major problem. david berman md