Increased Risk in Combining Tummy Tuck and Breast Lift?

One pearl of knowldege I learned long ago is that "combination does not mean complication" if you select the proper patient and use an adequate facility.  You can avoid the jam of having 2 surgeries, 2 downtimes, 2 exposures to anesthesia and higher expense if you opt for a combination procedure.

Hello! Thank you for your question! These procedures can be effectively and safely performed in one setting. The breasts and tummy tuck are commonly performed together, often referred to as the "mommy makeover". If you are healthy and your surgeon decides that s/he could perform the procedures in a safe time for you, these procedures certainly can be done in one stage. Staging the procedures to have them performed at various times will likely not have any cost benefit for you. When you combine procedures, there is often a discount that is provided by the surgeon for multiple procedures. Also, when having multiple procedures performed at the same time, you save on anesthesia and facility fees, which otherwise are paid for with each individual procedure. In addition, you may benefit by the single recovery time. It is your decision as to whether you have your procedures performed in one or multiple stages, but your surgeon will give his/her recommendations. I would consult with a plastic surgeon well-versed in these procedures and discuss your concerns with your surgeon and see what your options are as well as have an examination. Your safety is ultimately the most important factor and is always on the mind of your surgeon when making such decisions. Hope that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

It is always safer to perform smaller operations, so combing two large procedures does increase the risks. In my mind, the most serious increased risk of combining the two procedures is that the possibility of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism increases with longer surgical times. That being said, operations lasting less than 6 hours are relatively safe, and combining a tummy tuck with a breast reduction is quite common. Speak with your individual surgeon to review the risks and ask how long it would take them to perform the combined procedure.
Dr.B