What does abdominal fascial plication and open ventral hernia repair mean?

Fascial plication is tightening the abdominal muscles.  This can be done at the same time as a tummy tuck.

It sounds like you have a rectus diastasis - this is where your rectus abdominus muscles (your "six-pack" muscles) separate in the midline.  This causes a weakness in the midline where your intra-abdominal contents (i.e. your intestines) can bulge out - this is also known as a ventral hernia.  This is common in women who have had large babies or twins, especially if they have a narrow pelvis and carry their baby "high".  This rectus diastasis/ventral hernia is generally not able to be fully corrected with exercise or physiotherapy.  Apart from the cosmetic issue of midline bulging, it can be associated with back or abdominal pain and even urinary incontinence and chronic constipation.Repair of the rectus diastasis usually involves fascial plication - this is where the strong fascial (connective) tissues of the abdominal wall are brought back together in the midline.  This is usually possible just with sutures but sometimes a mesh is required.  Most commonly this is performed as part of a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) which will allow any associated loose skin to be removed and also provides excellent access to facilitate a really strong and lasting repair.I hope this helps your understanding.Kind regards,Dean

Thank you for your question. Pregnancy is the typical cause of diastasis of the abdominal wall, which means a thinning and stretching of the thick connective tissue (fascia) between the two major abdominal muscles (the rectus abdominis muscles--responsible for the "six pack"). A hernia, by definition, is an actual hole or defect in that fascia. Both can exist at the same time. Typically, a general surgeon would be involved in a large hernia repair, while the plastic surgeon can manage the diastasis by using sutures to bring the muscles back into the appropriate location. Talk w/ your surgeon(s) about which is best for you.