Is phlegm in the throat a common problem after surgery?

An endotracheal tube can generate a small amount of irritation of the upper airway.  The cells respond by secreting protective mucous that may trigger the need to cough and clear the airway.  This can be problematic after abdominal surgery but in spite of the pain, the airway needs to be kept clean.

It is not uncommon to have some throat irritation after surgery because you've been intubated (have a breathing tube in your throat). This can range from throat soreness to coughing. It's important to take deep breaths after surgery, especially after big cases like a mommy makeover, to prevent atelectasis (partial lung collapse because the alveolar sacs are unable to fully inflate). A cough pillow may help with the pain - press the pillow firmly against your stomach to ease the pain during coughing. If the phlegm persists, make sure to tell your surgeon and PCP.

Some patients will experience some irritation post op (especially after having been intubated for general anesthesia). This irritation can manifest as increased secretions. However, this is typically self limited and short lived.The post operative phase (especially following abdominal surgery) is a risk for pulmonary infection. Patients will typically splint and take shallow breaths secondary to the pain associated with full and deep inspiration. If efforts are not made to clear these secretions and breathe deeply it can progress to more serious conditions such as pneumonia.The best recommendation is good pain control and deep breaths. These together will help to clear the secretions and avoid a lingering worsening problem.As always, discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS). 

I know of no direct cause of prolonged phlegm after surgery. The irritation from the intubation should resolve relatively quickly. There are other causes of secretions that may need investigation. Coughing and deep breathing after surgery is helpful to reduce other potential issues. If it persists - I would discuss with the Operating Surgeon .

This is related to the breathing tube being placed and can cause an irritation. I would suggest following up with your board certified surgeon about this.

Thank you for your question.  This is not an uncommon problem after surgery.  Mommy makeovers usually entail an abdominoplasty and breast surgery, whether a lift, augmentation or both.  This requires multiple hours under general anesthesia which is the first risk factor for postop pulmonary issues.  The other factors that play a roll is the abdominal muscle tightening and breast surgery.  Both these surgeries effect the muscles that you would normally use to cough and expel phlegm.  Since your sore in both these locations and the prolonged anesthesia, your lungs are not able to adequately expel the phlegm.  As you heal and the pain improves, you will be able to cough deeper and harder.  If you have underlying respiratory issues such as asthma, COPD, or smoking history, this could also lead to prolonged phlegm production.  hope this helps!

Congratulations on your surgery! Phlegm after surgery can occur, but is not too common. Coughing after a tummy tuck procedure can certainly be painful. Holding a pillow over your tummy while you cough can be helpful. If you have concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to your surgeon. They'll be happy to answer any questions that you have.

It is not uncommon to develop something called atelectasis after general anesthesia which can result in phlegm and coughing.  Things such as deep breathing and incentive spirometry can help clear the airways.  If you try these things and still do not notice improvement, or symptoms worsen, you should contact your surgeon for further evaluation. 

It is very common to have increased pulmonary secretions (phlegm) after surgery. Deep breathing and coughing allow those secretions to be expressed and reduce the risk of atelectasis and pneumonia.So, it's important to do those exercises for post-operative pulmonary therapy. One trick I tell my abdominal surgery patients is to "splint" when they cough or deep breathe.To do this, grab a pillow and gently put pressure over the pillow onto your abdomen while coughing.This will support the abdominal wall and remove some of the discomfort when coughing or deep breathing. Check out the link below for techniques and useful tips.

This very common problem is usually due to the breathing tube used during the procedure. Often patients feel like they need to clear their throats and cough. Deep breathing will help, slowly exhaling in a deliberate fashion. Holding a pillow across your belly when you cough will greatly ease your discomfort. These symptoms usually fade after 72 hrs. Seek care if they persist. 
Matthew C Camp M.D.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

This is actually quite common after a tummy tuck.  It is very important for you to take deep breaths (not fast) 10 times an hour.  Getting up and out of bed with good frequency and sitting upright helps as well.  I provide an "incentive spirometer" to my patients that undergo this procedure which is a small easy device that really helps encourage opening up the lungs more completely.  When you practice with the incentive spirometer you can see "how far" you can get and set the indicator to the last achieved volume.  The next breath you can then try to do more each time.  Usually patients will feel the urge to "cough" as they are opening up these "collapsed" areas of lung after surgery, something called atelectasis.  As you do more and more of this it gets better.  The tummy tuck or abdominoplasty can hinder taking those full and deep breaths (more than some other surgeries) especially because of the muscle tightening part of the procedure. I believe that incentive spirometers can be quite helpful in those first few days. Also I always have my patients check "how tight" their abdominal binder is.  If this is too tight I allow my patients (while sitting or in bed) to open or loosen this which I think also helps.  Finally, I utilize Exparel in all my abdominoplasty patients, which is a long acting "local anesthetic" (similar to xylocaine) but it lasts 72 hours.  This really helps immensely in the first 3 days especially with breathing.  I would ask your plastic surgeon about what he or she recommends.  I hope this is helpful.  Good luck!