Heartburn After Tummy Tuck and Breast Augmentation

A Tummy Tuck involves the "taking in" and tightening of the muscles of the abdominal wall which were irreversibly stretched out by pregnancy and, or obesity.
People who have gastroesophageal reflux (GER) otherwise known as heartburn have a defect in which the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve at the end of the food tube entering the stomach, does not properly close and allows acidic stomach fluid to travel back high up into the esophagus as high as the back of the throat associated with pain. This is worsened by foods that relax the sphincter, by eating just before going to bed, by certain medications and by increased intra abdominal pressure (IE pregnancy etc).
After the stomach muscles are tightened during an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck), there will be a transient increase in intra abdominal pressure which will unveil and increase a pre-existing gastroesophageal reflux / heart burn. This can usually be readily treated with medical therapy and WILL improve with time.
Dr. P. Aldea

The increased intra-abdominal pressure after a tummy tuck is to be expected for a number of reasons related to the changes to the anterior abdominal wall muscles as well as the skin. This could and would exacerbate a pre-existing GER or reflux problem but it is doubtful these changes would initiate a problem that was not previously present unless the problem was borderline and not appreciated before surgery.
Anti-acid medications, both over the counter and prescription, would be effective and may need to be continued for some extended period of time after the surgery. The surgeon MUST be consulted and more serious problems such as heart problems must be excluded before simple treatment with anti-acids is begun.