Can tummy tuck scar tissue cause bowel obstructions?

Thanks for your inquiry and excellent question. Sorry to hear about your mother's struggles with adhesions.  I am going to disagree with my esteemed colleagues a bit. During a routine abdominoplasty, we do not enter the peritoneal cavity. If you, the patient, do not have ahesions in your abdomen meaning you likely have never had surgery in your abdominal cavity or you simply did not have much inflammatory changes like adhesions that occurred from prior surgery--then the muscle plication portion of the tummy tuck should not lead to bowel obstruction.   If you have a history of a "hostile" abdomen, meaning there are lots of adhesions from prior surgeries or you had extensive mesh placed on the abdominal wall to repair a prior hernia--then I would raise the following concern.  The small intestine in particular has a mobility within the abdominal cavity in a normal abdomen.  This mobility allows the small intestine to essentially rearrange itself such that the bowel will not kink or obstruct when the abdominal cavity is reduced in size or shape-- as occurs during the muscle plication.  However, if the intestines are rigidly fixed to the abdominal wall through adhesions and then your surgeon tightens the muscles and draws in the abdominal wall-you can possible kink these fixed loops of bowel by placing them in a configuration that does compromises intestinal flow possibly leading to obstruction even though he/she did not enter the peritoneal cavity.  Is this a common scenario--NO, but it is real and patients who have had extensive prior surgeries including mesh repairs of hernias and/or a prior extensive history of adhesions shoud discuss the risks of the muscle repair portion of a tummy tuck in more detail with his/her surgeon.  Of course, the skin and fat removal portions of a tummy tuck will not affect the bowel at all.  Good Luck.

   A tummy tuck would not involve dissection into the abdominal cavity.  Therefore, no adhesions would be created.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Tummy tuck cannot cause internal adhesions that are causing your mother's bowel obstructions.  The tummy tuck is performed all outside of the abdominal cavity, where the bowel resides.

Your concerns of bowel obstruction from a Tummy Tuck are nothing to worry about as your surgery is not in the abdominal cavity where the bowels are located. A tummy tuck is more superficial above the muscles that  protect the contents such as bowel and female organs. Best of luck!

Adhesions from surgery can cause intestinal obstruction if the surgery takes place in the peritoneal space (around the intestines).  A tummy tuck procedure involves surgery above the abdominal muscles.  Unless there is another procedure, such as hernia repair or gynecological procedure, that is done in conjunction with the tummy tuck, there really is no increased risk whatsoever of having a bowel obstruction.  

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a surgery done just below the skin and fat of you belly wall. It is pretty superficial. We are several layers outside the peritoneum (where all your intestines are). So there will be no scarring to cause a bowel obstruction. Surgery like your mom had was inside her peritoneum, and so could cause the obstruction you have described. Sorry for your mother's struggles, but you should be fine. Tummy tuck is

And abdominoplasty is part of a mommy makeover does not enter the peritoneal cavity and therefore will not created a bowel obstruction.

Properly done tummy tucks do not enter the internal abdominal cavity at all and therefore do not cause bowel obstruction. To have adhesions that cause obstruction, patients have usually undergone prior abdominal organ surgery, like your mom, or have abdominal radiation. 

Based on your mother's history, your concerns are understandable but you do not have to worry; tummy tuck surgery is “superficial” to the abdominal wall muscles.  The peritoneal cavity is not entered and therefore scar tissue (or adhesions) are not formed around the intestines. Best wishes.

Thank you for your question.  The short answer is no.  Bowel obstructions usually occur from adhesions (scar) on the bowel due to surgery below the abdominal muscles.  Any invasive surgery on the intestines or female organs will put you at risk for future bowel obstruction.  A tummy tuck does not violate the abdominal wall/muscle.  The muscles are tightened and the extra skin and fat are removed.  The only bowel problems I see with tummy tucks, are constipation from the pain medicines and the pain associated.  It is best to take a stool softener with the pain pills to help avoid this problem.   Good luck.