Are diastasis recti and hernias repaired by a general surgeon if a tummy tuck is not included?

Thank you for your great question.  You are correct, repairing the hernia and diastasis recti simultaneously can help prevent the hernia from re-occurring.  Both conditions can be repaired simultaneously and is ideal. For optimal results, I recommend having an in person consultation with a highly skilled board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specializes in diastasis recti and hernia repair. 

A cosmetic general surgeon or Plastic Surgeon would be best to fix your concerns. The diastasis repair is best fixed at the time of an abdominoplasty and a multitude of problems can also be repaired from the pregnancy.

Dear halex25,
finding the right Dr. is extremely challenging especially with the number of online platforms and resources available. There a lot of great Dr's available. Make sure he/she is a board-certified plastic surgeon. Definitely check to make sure your choice specializes in the procedure you want and spend the time to read through patient testimonials. There is a number of different sites where you can check for reviews (Realself, yelp, google, etc.).You can always pick up the phone and call around also, find an office you feel comfortable with and set up a few consultations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for submitting you concerns.Based on your concerns, you would need a hernia repair not a Diastasis Recti repair. I would suggest you consult with a Board-certified plastic surgeon for optimal results. 

Thanks for your inquiry, I, too like many of my colleagues who answered you, am a board certified plastic surgeon and general surgeon.  A general surgeon cn repair a hernia in many ways and in isolation of a full diastasis of the rectus muscle.  For example and hernia can be fixed laproscopically, in which case the diastasis would remain.  Also the true hernia defect could be fixed directly say around the umbilicus through a small incision and the diastasis would be left untreated.  I do believe a full diastasis repair "could" reduce the likelihood of some hernias. Remember if the skin of the abdomen is not concurrently addressed during a diastasis repair, the skin may gather or bunch.  Please ask your surgical team to comment.

Rectus diastasis is not a true hernia.  If it’s actrue hernia either  a plastic surgeon or general surgeon could repair it.  However if it is diastasis rectus it is not a true hernia and your insurance probably would not pay for it.  But it would be repaired at the same time as a tummy tuck.

I was a Board Certified General Surgeon before becoming a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. I stated that so that you know that my answer has a basis in fact and I am not just engaging in a turf war.  General Surgeons do not typically repair diastasis recti while doing a hernia repair.   In order to perform that procedure, the anterior abdominal wall needs to be exposed by lifting the skin off of it, similar to how one would do a dissection for a tummy tuck. General Surgeons will either make an incision directly over the hernia and close the hole in the fascia or they will place a piece of mesh behind the hole in the fascia through several laparoscopic access incisions.  Plastic Surgeons who do hernia repairs (not all do) would expose that anterior abdominal wall, reduce the hernia contents, repair the hole in the fascia and then reinforce the closure with a rectus plication, which also corrects the rectus diastasis. Excess skin can then be removed and typically the scar will be made along the bikini line or around the umbilicus..

A hernia is a rupture or a tear in the lining of the tissues that surround the abdomen.  These tissues are muscle and fascia and are very tough, but there are some inherent weak spots where the muscle/fascia typically tear.  The two most common areas of hernia formation are in the groin (inguinal) or the belly button (umbilical).  But, they can occur in other areas of the abdomen and also in previous areas of abdominal surgery where an incision has been made and the incision did not heal properly (incisional hernia).  When a hernia occurs the internal organs, bowel, stomach, intra abdominal fat can protrude through the opening and become painful and bulge.  The real danger is if the intra abdominal contents protrude and get stuck, this is called a strangulated hernia, the blood supply to the tissue is cut off and the tissue can die, creating a medical emergency and the need for surgery immediately.  The reason to fix a hernia is to prevent this sudden occurrence.Depending on the size of the hernia, the approach to repair it varies.  Some hernias can be repaired using a laparoscope, some require an open incision.  Small hernias can be repaired by bringing the tissues back together and larger incisions may require a piece of mesh to "patch" the hole.  There are many different types of mesh, nylon, prolene, biologic, the choice depending on the circumstances and the surgeon's preference and experience.  The actual hernia "sac" needs to be identified, isolated from the surrounding tissues, reduced and the hole repair.  This can take as short as 20-30 minutes, or may take several hours depending on the complexity of the repair.  It sometimes can be combined with a tummy tuck or other procedures, but not always.A diastasis recti is a totally different medical condition.  We all have two long, vertically oriented and broad muscles that start from our rib cage and connect to the pubic bone.  They are about the size of a men's necktie and are called the rectus abdominis muscles or the "six-pack" muscles. The two muscles are separate, but are "kissing" in the midline (the linea alba connects them), at least initially.  When we gain weight or become pregnant the muscles are stretched and pushed laterally or out to the side, this is what we call a diastasis recti. Surgical procedures can also transect or cut and weaken these muscles. When we perform a tummy tuck, the separation of the muscles is repaired by bringing the muscles back to the midline with very strong permanent sutures, the muscles are not cut.  This is what gives the abdomen the very flat board like appearance after a tummy tuck, and also brings the waistline in closer.  This is also the reason we do not like to perform the muscle repair until a woman is finished with child bearing.  A person can become pregnant and can safely carry the baby, but the rectus muscles will get all stretched out again, ruining the repair from the tummy tuck.So, a diastasis recti is not a hernia, and the treatment is completly different.  It is common to to see both a hernia, especially an umbilical hernia, and the diastasis recti together because patients that have weak tissue can develop hernias and diastasis recti.  It is sometimes possible to fix both during a tummy tuck, but not always, depending on the circumstances.  Plastic surgeons are trained to fix hernias, but typically a general surgeon will repair abdominal hernias.  Of course, every case is different and I will inform my patients if I believe I can repair the hernia during a tummy tuck or not.  Always consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who performs body contouring procedures frequently to assure the best possible result.Good Luck!