Can a Tummy Tuck actually cause a hiatal hernia?

...if you had the hernia with silent or slight symptoms, the compression to tighten your new beautiful tummy may take to the "surface" the previously hidden condition.

A tummy tuck cannot cause a hiatal hernia, but if one is present and your muscle was tightened, it can worsen your symptoms because there is more pressure pushing against the hiatal hernia. There are no non-surgical ways to repair a hiatal hernia if medication doesn't control your symptoms.

No, the tummy tuck operation would not be the cause of the hiatal hernia. However, having undergone the tummy tuck operation may have made your symptoms worse, leading to an increase in symptoms and the diagnosis made endoscopically. Best wishes.

A tummy tuck without complications will never cause a hiatal hernia, but it can definitely make an existing hiatal hernia more symptomatic.  Chances are, you had a hiatal hernia prior to surgery and did not know about it since it never bothered you.

I agree with the others who have answered.  Hiatal hernia is not caused by a tummy tuck, but it theoretically could make the symptoms of a hiatal hernia worse.  Abdominal wall is tightened with a tummy tuck and, therefore, may increase the intra-abdominal pressure.  Hiatal hernia and reflux are usually treated with medicine to relieve symptoms.  Surgery is done if the symptoms do not get better with medical treatment.  Hope this helps.

Although anything is possible, this is extremely unlikely.  More logical is that you had some borderling anatomical issues in that region and, perhaps, the swelling of the abdomen, combined with the muscle repair and the wearing of a tight band, set off your symptoms.  Under normal anatomical situations the increased pressure associated with a TT (and it's post-op course) will not force the digestive system contents through your diaphragm into your chest.You should begin working on this ASAP with your internist to control the symptoms non-surgically, if at all possible.  You may eventually need a surgical procedure, although hopefully, not.  Either way, though, I would not assign much, if any, weight to the TT as a causal factor.I hope that this helps and good luck,Dr. Alan EnglerMember of RealSelf100

I agree with Dr Kirby, although a tummy tuck may make a hiatal hernia more symtomatic the surgery does not cause the weakness in the diaphragm which results in the hernia.  Although, there are non-surgical treatments to help reduce the symptoms of the hernia (reducing intra-abdominal gas and bloating), repairing the hernia would require a surgery.  Best wishes, Dr. Lepore.