Is It Normal to Feel Tightness or Discomfort in Your Throat After Having a Tummy Tuck.

There can be multiple causes for throat Tightness. The most common is the irritation from
the breathing tube during general anesthesia. The other can be reflux due to the hernia repair and abdominal muscle Tightening. The concern when you went to ER was pulmonary embolism which is a serious condition and looks like it wad ruled out.

Hello, 
Yes, Tightness is very normal after a tummy tuck procedure. However, this is somewhat difficult to assess accurately without pictures or an examination.  A small subset of patients do experience some uncomfortable "stiffness" after a tummy tuck which takes some time to resolve and improve.  Scar does remodel over time, sometimes a year and a half after the primary incision.  My recommendation would be to continue to push through the tightness with stretching.  Also, I have seen some benefit with physical therapy to help stretch the scar tissue.

Hope this helps

Dr. Dillon

It is most commonly related to the breathing tube used during a general anesthetic and should only last a few days. Analgesic throat sprays can help. If it persists more than 48 hours, let your surgeon know.