How Do I Know if my Muscle Repair Has Come Un Done?

Thank you for your question regarding whether your muscle repair has come undone.
During an abdominoplasty or 360 circumferential lower body lift, the rectus abdominis muscle is usually repaired or plicated. This means sutures are placed from the sternum to the pubic symphysis. Typically, approximately 40 different interrupted sutures are placed. Often, a second layer of a running suture is also used. Most experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in weight-loss patients use permanent sutures for their patients' lifelong results. Some plastic surgeons (who are in the minority) use dissolvable sutures, believing that scar tissue will form along the rectus abdominis muscle. Plastic surgery studies have shown that the rectus abdominis muscle do not scar together if absorbable sutures are used. Therefore, most plastic surgeons use permanent suture. The situation that you describe is not uncommon. You may have felt a pop. The pop you may have felt is probably due to shifting tissue. Alternatively, the pop you felt may have been one of your sutures popping or tearing. However, it is highly unlikely that you tore all 40+ sutures used to repair your entire abdominal wall. Please follow up with your plastic surgeon and explain your concern about your rectus abdominis repair and the pop tou felt after surgery. An objective way to discover if the rectus abdominis muscle has been repaired or if sutures have broken is to obtain a CT scan or an MRI. Though not necessarily mandatory, a CT or an MRI may provide conclusive results as to the integrity of rectus abdominis muscle repair. Thank you for your interesting question regarding whether your muscle repair has come undone. If you have any more questions regarding the tummy tuck, abdominoplasty, lower body lift, 360 circumferential lower body lift, belt lipectomy, belt abdominoplasty, or belt dermolipectomy, please get in touch with aa experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. Since the body lift is a big procedure, please seek an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with significant experience performing the lower body lift. Do your research. Ensure they have performed at least 150 circumferential lower body lift surgeries and have the before and after pictures to prove it. Please carefully look over their before and after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf. If you cannot find an experienced, lower-body lift surgeon in your neighborhood, consider traveling out of state. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. (Plastic Surgeon, President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American College of Surgery, and International College of Surgery and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Thank you for your question. Sharp pain is a sign of strain and stress. The sutures used are usually very strong, and there are a lot of them. If they break, you usually hear a "ping" as the thread is broken. This is rare, and the pain quite significant. Pulls and tugging pain are common in the healing phase, and of no concern unless there is a sudden movement of a slip and or fall. Have your surgeon evaluate your abdomen. I hope this helps.

  In general, you will have a lot of swelling 5 days after tummy tuck.   Your surgeon should examine you to determine if the plication has been compromised.  Alot of males do not need plication, but this may have been performed in your case.  In addition, there may be a visceral fat component in males that may produce less than flat results.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Although it is possible you popped a stitch, you will need to wait to see your final result. Popping one stitch should not undo the entire operation.

Good luck