Tummy Tuck for VP Shunt patients?

Thank you for your question regarding the possibility of undergoing a tummy tuck as a patient with a VP shunt. Congratulations on your weight loss and being cleared by your neurologist! With proper planning and collaboration between your medical team, a tummy tuck can be performed safely. Here’s what you need to know:

VP Shunt and Tummy Tuck Feasibility:
Your VP shunt does not automatically disqualify you from having a tummy tuck. The key is thorough preoperative planning, coordination between your plastic surgeon and neurologist, and careful intraoperative management. A "shunt roadmap" provided by your neurologist is essential for your plastic surgeon to avoid disrupting the shunt or its pathway during the procedure.

Finding the Right Surgeon:
Look for a board-certified plastic surgeon who has experience with medically complex patients. During consultations, ensure the surgeon:

Reviews your shunt roadmap and coordinates with your neurologist or neurosurgeon.
Is comfortable working around your specific medical history.
Discusses modifications to the surgical plan to ensure the shunt remains intact.
Platforms like RealSelf or referrals from your neurologist may help you find surgeons with experience in such cases.

Should the Shunt Be Removed?
The decision to remove a VP shunt should only be made by your neurologist or neurosurgeon. If the shunt is no longer necessary due to weight loss and improved intracranial pressure, removal may be an option. However, this is entirely separate from the tummy tuck and should be carefully evaluated.

Additional Considerations:

Surgical Risks: Patients with VP shunts may have an increased risk of complications, such as infection or fluid imbalances. Your medical team will need to take extra precautions.
Compression Garments: Ensure compression garments worn after surgery do not interfere with the shunt or its pathway.
Recovery: Follow all post-operative care instructions carefully, and inform your surgeon immediately of any unusual symptoms like headaches or swelling.
Your situation requires collaboration between your plastic surgeon, neurologist, and other specialists. With the right team, achieving your body contouring goals safely is very possible. I recommend meeting with board-certified surgeons to discuss your case in detail.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

If your shunt is not needed, then it can be removed. You can have a tummy tuck, but your surgeon will stay out of the area of the shunt unless it is removed first. Your surgeon will need a letter from your neurologist giving medical clearance for surgery.

Whether your shunt should be removed would be up to your neurologist. However, it is easy to do a tummy tuck and leave the shunt in place. The dissection is simply done around the shunt leaving it alone and allowing you to improve the contour of your abdomen at the same time. If the shunt was removed that would simply make your tummy tuck easier. Be sure to contact a plastic surgeon who is board certified by the American Society Of Plastic surgeons. Best wishes.