How Long Should Surgery Take for Tummy Tuck with Lipo, and What is a Safe Amount of Time to Be Under General Anesthesia?

It usually takes me three to four hours to perform a tummy tuck and liposuction, depending on the size of the case.  In general, I prefer to keep my elective surgery cases under six hours of anesthesia, if possible. The quality of the result matters much more than the surgical time.

There is no prize for being the fastest surgeon it translates to more complications.  I have firsthand knoweldge of such a doctor who prides his speed but has the most complications amongst his colleagues.

As mentioned, the time varies accordingly to how much has to be done and the averages mentioned are quite realistic (2.5-4 hours).  Regardless, it is considered safe to be under for that time period.

Your surgeon should be able to guide you through this.  If it seems exceptionally long, then a second opinion is warranted.

Most good docotrs can perform these combination procedures in under three hours.

A simple rule of thumb is that a patients anesthesia risks go up after 4 hours.

Any eletive procedure for aesthetic concerns should be under that time limit.

Finally, all surgeons feel strong and macho, but any human being cannot be as good at their craft after 4 hours of non-stop surgery.

The length of the surgery can range between 2-4 hours depending on the patient and the surgeon.  It depends on how many areas of liposuction and whether a regular tummy tuck or an extended tummy tuck are being performed.  Safety issues also need to be individualized - MUCH depends on the patients past medical history,etc..

Dear San Francisco4746,

The length of surgery depends on how much needs to be done, the technique used, and the speed of the surgeon. I prefer to focus on obtaining the best result rather than performing the fastest operation. Having said that, I prefer to keep elective surgery under 6 hours. A tummy tuck with liposuction generally takes 2.5-4 hours.

Warmest wishes,

Larry Fan, MD