I'm having a lower body lift, and will only have an hour of recovery time before going home. Is this normal?

Thank you for your inquiry about the postoperative care following a lower body lift, particularly regarding the plan for only an hour of recovery time before heading home.
The post-surgery protocol for a lower body lift varies among plastic surgeons. Some prefer extended hospital stays, others use recovery centers or private accommodations with nursing care, and some, like in your case, opt for a quick discharge to home within an hour post-surgery.
Each approach has its benefits and potential risks, tailored to individual needs and the surgeon's judgment. If your surgeon is experienced with this method and has a successful track record, it can be considered a reasonable and safe approach. Ensure you have clear instructions for home care and emergency contacts.
Wishing you a smooth procedure and recovery.
Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Thank you for your question.  You must appreciate that different surgeons have different approaches and there is no absolute standard.  In a typical year, I perform about 35-40 lower body lifts that are all very comprehensive and include liposuction, tummy tuck, monsplasty, outer thigh lift, buttock lift, buttock enhancement and sometimes with or without an inner thigh lift.  The majority of my cases take 7 hours of surgery and the patients are done in an ambulatory surgery center.  Most of my patients go home with a nurse or care giver.   This works well for me and the patient since most are more comfortable at their home.  Few stay in a recovery place if they wish too. Of course, we only operate in a surgery center when the patient is healthy with no medical issues. 

A real lower body lift includes a Tummy Tuck, lateral thigh lift and butt lift. I always include muscle repair and represents a very large, invasive, and extreme result procedure, so staying overnight, to be absolutely sure you will be ok is very important, for me.I would even recommend to stay at a recovery center for at least 7 days after the first night at the clinic.Be encouraged.Dr. Cardenas

I do keep my lower body lifts overnight for safety concerns and it is part of our overall fee. Different surgeons have different approaches and you should discuss your concerns with your surgeon.  Good luck.

You of course have options. For more than 15 years, most of my lower body lift patients are done on an outpatient basis as you describe. Exceptions are sometimes those that are from out of town and wish to stay overnight. The newer anesthetic agents with very short recovery time, use of electric cautery scalpels so minimal blood loss, and the fact that ambulating frequently on the day of surgery decreases complications like deep venous clots.#bodylift#weightlosssurgery#lowerbodylift

Out patient cosmetic surgery recovery periods are usually an hour minimum, many facilities , for a fee, will keep you over night if that is an option for you. 

recovery is predictable and most patients leave within an hour... but this is not an absolute rule and you can rest assured that you will not be pushed out the door unless its safe to do so.  Procedures done in the hospital are usually more complex with more pain and requires an overnight stay.  Your surgeon does not want to do anything to place you at risk.  Hope it goes well for you.

Hello and thank you for your question. I believe that you should be fine and that it will be at least 3 to 4 hours before you go home. I personally NEVER send patients home the same day when doing a lower body lift, but I probably do a hole lot more than most surgeons when performing them including a tummy tuck,  mons lift, buttock lift, auto augmentation of the buttocks and hips and any liposuction that may be needed.Peter Fisher M.D