I just was at the general surgeon today for my hernia and he mentioned that he would totally fix my 3 cm diastasis recti as well. Since this will be covered through insurance, I would prefer to go this route. I also don’t want to regret the decision and have to go back in if working out my core still doesn’t give me the results I would like to see. Any thoughts on this is greatly appreciated!
Answer: How do you think he can access your entire abdominal wall for repair? Your diastasis likely runs from well above your belly button all the way down to the pubis. What kind of incision could you imagine that would require? Certainly not the small incisions made for belly button hernias or inguinal hernias. It basically requires a very long incision like a tummy tuck incision. A 3 cm diastasis is large enough that an endoscopic procedure would cause pleating of your abdominal skin without adequate separation from the muscle wall. And btw, if you have a diastasis of that size, I'm sure your skin has laxity and/or redundancy, so that won't be fixed either. It's a bad idea having a general surgeon perform anything other than a hernia repair. Most big mistakes (bad complications) are made by either seeking cheap plastic surgery or going to non-certified/other docs. Respect your health and your body.
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Answer: How do you think he can access your entire abdominal wall for repair? Your diastasis likely runs from well above your belly button all the way down to the pubis. What kind of incision could you imagine that would require? Certainly not the small incisions made for belly button hernias or inguinal hernias. It basically requires a very long incision like a tummy tuck incision. A 3 cm diastasis is large enough that an endoscopic procedure would cause pleating of your abdominal skin without adequate separation from the muscle wall. And btw, if you have a diastasis of that size, I'm sure your skin has laxity and/or redundancy, so that won't be fixed either. It's a bad idea having a general surgeon perform anything other than a hernia repair. Most big mistakes (bad complications) are made by either seeking cheap plastic surgery or going to non-certified/other docs. Respect your health and your body.
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Answer: Possible The biggest question i would ask your general surgeon is how he is fixing the diastasis. If a hernia and diastasis repair are being fixed laparoscopically or robotically the sequence should be suture repair of the hernia, then suture repair of the full diastasis from pubic bone to xyphoid process, then a hernia mesh to reinforce the area that had the hernia.
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Answer: Possible The biggest question i would ask your general surgeon is how he is fixing the diastasis. If a hernia and diastasis repair are being fixed laparoscopically or robotically the sequence should be suture repair of the hernia, then suture repair of the full diastasis from pubic bone to xyphoid process, then a hernia mesh to reinforce the area that had the hernia.
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September 21, 2023
Answer: Diastasis/hernia repair vs abdominoplasty Hi tinamarie2021,This is a great question. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’re gonna get the result that you’re looking for with a diastasis and hernia repair. Although it seems like it, it’s not the same as an abdominoplasty. Since you have a diastasis, I’m assuming you’ve had children. With pregnancy, the rectus muscles usually separate with distension of the abdomen and never fully return to the pre-pregnancy state meaning there is a weakness or laxity in this area. You describe having a 3 cm diastasis. One a question I would have for your general surgeon is where is the scar going to be placed. Usually it has to be made in the area where the hernia is located. Which means it is not ideal and is likely going to be in an area that’s not cosmetically appealing. A tummy tuck involves a low transverse abdominal incision typically from hip to hip. It is placed below the waist line, so as not to be seen in low-cut clothing or bathing suit. The skin is freed up all the way from the pubic bone to the xiphoid or breast plate. The rectus muscles are inspected and diastasis repaired. If a hernia is present in the midline, then it can be repaired simultaneously without an extra incision on the skin. This usually provides a very nice cosmetically appealing result. Not only is the diastasis/hernia repaired any excess skin can be removed. Also, if you have unwanted fat, this can be addressed with liposuction at the same time. In essence, they are not the same procedure. I’m not saying you can’t get a result you would be happy with doing just the hernia and diastasis repair… I’m saying that with a tummy tuck there is typically a much more aesthetically pleasing result. I hope this helps. Good luck!
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September 21, 2023
Answer: Diastasis/hernia repair vs abdominoplasty Hi tinamarie2021,This is a great question. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’re gonna get the result that you’re looking for with a diastasis and hernia repair. Although it seems like it, it’s not the same as an abdominoplasty. Since you have a diastasis, I’m assuming you’ve had children. With pregnancy, the rectus muscles usually separate with distension of the abdomen and never fully return to the pre-pregnancy state meaning there is a weakness or laxity in this area. You describe having a 3 cm diastasis. One a question I would have for your general surgeon is where is the scar going to be placed. Usually it has to be made in the area where the hernia is located. Which means it is not ideal and is likely going to be in an area that’s not cosmetically appealing. A tummy tuck involves a low transverse abdominal incision typically from hip to hip. It is placed below the waist line, so as not to be seen in low-cut clothing or bathing suit. The skin is freed up all the way from the pubic bone to the xiphoid or breast plate. The rectus muscles are inspected and diastasis repaired. If a hernia is present in the midline, then it can be repaired simultaneously without an extra incision on the skin. This usually provides a very nice cosmetically appealing result. Not only is the diastasis/hernia repaired any excess skin can be removed. Also, if you have unwanted fat, this can be addressed with liposuction at the same time. In essence, they are not the same procedure. I’m not saying you can’t get a result you would be happy with doing just the hernia and diastasis repair… I’m saying that with a tummy tuck there is typically a much more aesthetically pleasing result. I hope this helps. Good luck!
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