Is There Any Reason Why a Cathether is Left in After Surgery?

   A catheter after tummy tuck should be removed without any sequellae and minimal pain.  It just involves deflating a balloon. 

Thank you for the question.

The best way to obtain a relevant answer is to ask your plastic surgeon this question. In my practice, I  generally remove catheters before patients are discharged  as outpatients. Patients generally do well and are “forced” to ambulate to get to the restroom. This earlier ambulation is important.

 Best wishes with your upcoming procedure.

If you have concerns about the placement of a catheter, make sure you discuss them with your surgeon before surgery.  I generally will place a urinary catheter and leave it in for the first night.  While we encourage patients to get up the first night of surgery to prevent DVTs, some patients have difficulty moving well.  The catheter is left in place because frequent urination is possible the first night due to fluids received in the OR as well as after surgery.  Removing a catheter is usually a relatively painless experience, your friend must have had an unusual experience.  Good luck with your surgery!