Will this discoloration (bruise looking go away?) and the open wound? Any advice is appreciated. I do hold my PS in high regards but I also want to get some more insight. My PS has me using Santyl ointment 2x day and gauze pad for wound care and to open the compression garment in order to get more blood supply to the area. Anything else?? I am getting worried about my complication as it looks horrible and doesn't see to be getting better in color. How long till I see results? Is the color norm. I'm non-smoker, great health.
Answer: Skin Necrosis After Tummy Tuck Hello,I am so sorry this happened. It has happened to all of us who do enough of these surgeries. I know you're the one with the complication, but your surgeon is probably just as devastated. I hope he has the courage to tell you himself. Now, lets get down to business. Ditch the garment. Your surgeon should be certain there is no other causes of interstitial pressure like a seroma or hematoma beneath the skin flap. Although Santyl is good, you should push your surgeon to begin sharp debridement of the thick white material on the surface of the wound, which can be done painlessly in the office without anesthesia. This will accelerate healing and give him preliminary assessment of the extent of fatty necrosis below the skin, which unfortunately may be extensive and possibly accounting for the larger area of skin discoloration. I prefer serial debridements with very conservative removal of fatty tissue, unless it is absolutely grey and translucent in color. I have found that this abnormal fat can support healing, called 'granulation tissue' despite looking abnormal in color or appearance. Based on this photo, you will probably have some form of open wound for the next two months. After an appropriate amount of time afterward, usually about a year from closure, scar revision can be entertained.Keep your head up, this too shall pass. Talk to your surgeon. Best of luck.
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Answer: Skin Necrosis After Tummy Tuck Hello,I am so sorry this happened. It has happened to all of us who do enough of these surgeries. I know you're the one with the complication, but your surgeon is probably just as devastated. I hope he has the courage to tell you himself. Now, lets get down to business. Ditch the garment. Your surgeon should be certain there is no other causes of interstitial pressure like a seroma or hematoma beneath the skin flap. Although Santyl is good, you should push your surgeon to begin sharp debridement of the thick white material on the surface of the wound, which can be done painlessly in the office without anesthesia. This will accelerate healing and give him preliminary assessment of the extent of fatty necrosis below the skin, which unfortunately may be extensive and possibly accounting for the larger area of skin discoloration. I prefer serial debridements with very conservative removal of fatty tissue, unless it is absolutely grey and translucent in color. I have found that this abnormal fat can support healing, called 'granulation tissue' despite looking abnormal in color or appearance. Based on this photo, you will probably have some form of open wound for the next two months. After an appropriate amount of time afterward, usually about a year from closure, scar revision can be entertained.Keep your head up, this too shall pass. Talk to your surgeon. Best of luck.
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Answer: Soft tissue necrosis s/p tummy tuck Based on this one photo alone, it appears you have suffered skin and soft necrosis in the lower mid portion of the abdominal skin flap- which is the most common area for this to occur. You should be following up with your plastic surgeon regularly to keep a close eye on how this area progresses. It may require surgical debridement, which means a trip to the operating room to clean up the wound edges and possibly remove any unhealthy tissue. If there is pus in the base of the wound it may even need to be packed with sterile gauze dressings or closed with the assistance of a wound VAC. I'm not sure topical ointments will heal this however you should consult regularly with your plastic surgeon.Best wishes,Dr.Bruno
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Answer: Soft tissue necrosis s/p tummy tuck Based on this one photo alone, it appears you have suffered skin and soft necrosis in the lower mid portion of the abdominal skin flap- which is the most common area for this to occur. You should be following up with your plastic surgeon regularly to keep a close eye on how this area progresses. It may require surgical debridement, which means a trip to the operating room to clean up the wound edges and possibly remove any unhealthy tissue. If there is pus in the base of the wound it may even need to be packed with sterile gauze dressings or closed with the assistance of a wound VAC. I'm not sure topical ointments will heal this however you should consult regularly with your plastic surgeon.Best wishes,Dr.Bruno
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May 14, 2021
Answer: OPEN WOUND AFTER A TUMMY TUCK The discoloration and open wound are not a normal part of the healing after a tummy tuck. This discoloration will take weeks before it goes away and also the open wound, may require some surgical debridement to avoid an infection and allow a faster healing, even that the healing will take several weeks. You need to follow your surgeon advice and be in contact all the time.
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May 14, 2021
Answer: OPEN WOUND AFTER A TUMMY TUCK The discoloration and open wound are not a normal part of the healing after a tummy tuck. This discoloration will take weeks before it goes away and also the open wound, may require some surgical debridement to avoid an infection and allow a faster healing, even that the healing will take several weeks. You need to follow your surgeon advice and be in contact all the time.
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October 19, 2015
Answer: Discoloration after tummy tuck I am sorry that you are having this complication. Unfortunately I think you should be prepared for a much larger open wound in the area that is discolored. The body is demarcating the viable and nonviable tissue. The area where you are having a problem is the most common location for wound healing issues after a tummy tuck. This is the area that is typically closed under the highest tension and has the longest distance for the blood flow to travel for healing. You will likely need a debridement of the nonviable tissue. The good news is that the area typically heals very well over time, however you should expect a fairly long course of healing that will require wound management for several months. The fact that you don't smoke and are in good health are all very favorable for wound healing. Unfortunately these complications sometimes occur in very healthy patients who are good surgical candidates. You will get through it. Best wishes to you!
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October 19, 2015
Answer: Discoloration after tummy tuck I am sorry that you are having this complication. Unfortunately I think you should be prepared for a much larger open wound in the area that is discolored. The body is demarcating the viable and nonviable tissue. The area where you are having a problem is the most common location for wound healing issues after a tummy tuck. This is the area that is typically closed under the highest tension and has the longest distance for the blood flow to travel for healing. You will likely need a debridement of the nonviable tissue. The good news is that the area typically heals very well over time, however you should expect a fairly long course of healing that will require wound management for several months. The fact that you don't smoke and are in good health are all very favorable for wound healing. Unfortunately these complications sometimes occur in very healthy patients who are good surgical candidates. You will get through it. Best wishes to you!
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October 17, 2015
Answer: 2 weeks post op Tummy Tuck, open wound and discoloration (lack of blood supply). Any suggestion? I am sorry to hear about your complication. Local wound care like you are doing is a good early treatment. At some point, there will be a demarcation between the non-viable tissue and the tissue that will recover and you may benefit from surgical debridement at that time. Be prepared for this to be a process that will take several months to heal. If you are a smoker, you need to limit your nicotine use as this decreases blood flow and can cause ischemic tissue to not survive.
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October 17, 2015
Answer: 2 weeks post op Tummy Tuck, open wound and discoloration (lack of blood supply). Any suggestion? I am sorry to hear about your complication. Local wound care like you are doing is a good early treatment. At some point, there will be a demarcation between the non-viable tissue and the tissue that will recover and you may benefit from surgical debridement at that time. Be prepared for this to be a process that will take several months to heal. If you are a smoker, you need to limit your nicotine use as this decreases blood flow and can cause ischemic tissue to not survive.
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