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I have pain in left collarbone/shoulder 2 weeks PO TT with lipo. Should I be alarmed?

I am 15 days PO from a TT with lipo. I have been experiencing sporadic bouts of pain in my left collarbone/shoulder region, that can get pretty intense and then resolved as quickly as it appeared. I have had 2 c-sections and experienced the same kind of pain under my collarbone(in which the maternity nurses explained this was not unusual and is caused by having and opened abdominal cavity) , but those instances resolved within a day or so PO. So my question is should I be alarmed?

Doctor Answers 4

June 30th, 2016

I have pain in left collarbone/shoulder 2 weeks PO TT with lipo. Should I be alarmed?

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Dear Reader,

Your symptoms may be due to referred pain after the surgery or due to positioning during surgery.  Best to check with your surgeon.  Good luck and be safe.

John T. Nguyen, MD, FACS, FICS
Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
American Board of Plastic Surgery
American Board of Surgery
John Nguyen, MD, FACS


Houston Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 88 reviews

June 27th, 2016

You should be alarmed

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This pain needs to be investigated right away. Sometimes it can be indicative of serious issues such as pulmonary embolism. Call your surgeon.
Vasdev Rai, MD

Vasdev Rai, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 24 reviews

June 27th, 2016

Tummy tuck - shoulder pain will not subside

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Thank you for asking about your tummy tuck.

  • Do not be alarmed but definitely have this evaluated.
  • Please contact your surgeon - he should see and will probably order some tests as well.
  • It may be referred pain but your abdominal cavity was not opened - the cause may not be the same.
Always see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
Best wishes - Elizabeth Morgan MD PHD FACS
Elizabeth Morgan, MD, PhD
November 4th, 2016

Pain post Tummy Tuck with Liposuction

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Thanks for your question and congratulations on completing your surgery.  It is not really common to have pain in the collarbone and shoulder area from a tummy tuck.  In a tummy tuck, you do not open the abdominal cavity so there really should not be any diaphragmatic irritation that can refer to that area.  Tummy tuck and liposuction procedures are all done in the skin and fat only.  I would definitely follow up with your Plastic Surgeon to see what could be going on.  Best of luck. 

Learn more: http://fortesmd.com/

Paul Fortes, MD

Paul Fortes, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon
4.1 out of 5 stars 17 reviews

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.