Hole in Belly Button Post-Tummy Tuck

Thanks for your question. Sometimes small skin level separations can occur and usually heal quickly.
It is a little more unusual to have a wound 2 months out. Causes can include retained suture that your body is having trouble healing around, it may represent an area of too much tension that has separated or areas of decreased blood supply.
Speak to your plastic surgeon as soon as you can. You may require dressing changes or revisional surgery.
I hope this helps.

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out with your question regarding a hole in your belly button. It's not uncommon for belly buttons to experience complications or healing issues following a tummy tuck procedure. As other plastic surgeons have noted, this can include the development of a hole or opening in the belly button.

While it's understandable to be worried about the possibility of infection, it's important to remain calm and take appropriate steps to address the issue. My advice would be to contact your plastic surgeon as soon as possible to schedule an evaluation. Your surgeon will be able to assess the wound and determine the best course of action based on your individual circumstances.

In many cases, wounds like this can resolve on their own with proper wound care and monitoring. However, it's always best to seek guidance from your plastic surgeon to ensure the issue is addressed promptly and effectively. Your surgeon may recommend specific wound care instructions or, in some cases, may decide that revision surgery is necessary to promote proper healing.

I hope this information helps alleviate some of your concerns, and I encourage you to reach out to your plastic surgeon for further guidance. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS
Plastic Surgeon

You may be having delayed healing of one of the sutured areas, or more commonly, you may have a suture extruding through your skin. Both will heal with time and care. 

The wound is on tension, and the belly button is often not a highly vascularized structure.  Sometimes a spitting stitch can also get in the way of wound healing.  These are usually things that will heal without problem.  You should go to your Plastic Surgeon who will diagnose the issue and come up with a treatment plan.

Having a small separation around the new umbilicus (belly button) can occur. It can occur as there is diminished blood supply in this area following abdominoplasty as well as too much tension. This type of wound will usually heal on it's own but wet to dry dressing changes with normal saline solution will help clean it up and stimulate some granulation tissue. Revision is usually not necessary. Check with your plastic surgeon.

I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Moelleken below.
Poor healing around the belly button is not uncommon due to its compromised blood supply. This happens quite frequently.
When we perform a tummy tuck, we frequently repair the muscles in order to restore the form of the lower belly. We tend to use permanent stitches to maintain this result.
However, if the belly button heals poorly (relatively common) these sutures become exposed and one of two situations can occur.

You will heal over the area
A persistent drainage will occur until the offending suture is removed (relatively easy to perform. In this case, there is a low likelihood of serious infection and I would not be overly concerned. Generally antibiotics are not required. Gently cleanse the area daily (cetaphil soap) is mild and avoid excessive use of antibiotic ointments which can make the situation worse. Allow the area to drain and avoid occlusive dressings. See you doctor.

Usually this type of problem either solves itself in that the hole closes on its own, or is an easy fix when an errant suture is removed.
Occasionally, it may be necessary to do a minor revision on the area if the above two measures don't work.
In any event, your plastic surgeon should have a quick answer for you.

Hi there,
It's difficult to say what might be going on, but it sounds like you may not be healing properly in the area. I would call my surgeon and go in for an evaluation. It may be that nothing needs to be done, and you are advised to allow the wound to heal, with a scar revision in the future, but it would be good to make sure that there is not something else going on that might need treatment. Give your surgeon a call.

Tummy tucks are a popular and extremely effective way to contour the abdomen. Patients who receive this procedure can expect a significant recovery process. It sounds as if a small portion of the incision may have opened in the area of your bellybutton. Depending on the location, your body may heal this with minimal scarring. At this time, you should have your plastic surgeon assess the wound so that they can determine if you need specific wound care or if the wound should be closed in a direct fashion.

To learn more about tummy tucks, see photos, and help you decide which one is best for you, please visit us at the link below:
 

More than likely there is a retained foreign body. This could be from a suture used to repair the muscle / fascia layer, or from a suture used to repair the umbilicus. In either event, the offending suture must be removed in order to clear up the infection. A trip back to your plastic surgeon is on order.