Why do permanent sutures keep coming out of my belly button 4 yrs after Tummy Tuck & 1 yr after a 2nd Removal surgery? (photos)

Question

I had a tummy tuck 4 years ago. 3 years later I had an additional surgery by the same plastic surgeon to remove permanent sutures that were coming out of my belly button. The explanation being that I had lost so much weight after the tummy tuck, that the sutures were too close to the skin. Now, 1 year after the additional surgery, sutures are beginning to break through my belly button again. Can this be fixed? Why didn't the additional surgery take care of this?

Michael B. Tantillo, MD · Answer

Permanant sutures offer the advantage that they do not dissolve and so offer continued support.  However, as they don not dissolve, the sutures can push themselves through the skin.  See your surgeon and she/he can best advise you.

Peter Fisher, MD (retired) · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. Unfortunatetly some patients sort of reject permanant suture. This can happen at any time. This happened to 2 of my patients when using merseline suture. I've since stopped using permanent suture in all my body contouring patients and hav not seen this again. Hopefully this is your last one.

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Why do permanent sutures keep coming out of my belly button 4 yrs after Tummy Tuck & 1 yr after a 2nd Removal surgery? (photos)

Answers (2)

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