What Could Be Causing my Upper Abdomen to Swell After Tummy Tuck?

On rare occasions, I have seen the compression garments "gather" around your midsection causing a tourniquet like effect with swelling above this area similar to the swelling seen above a tight leg stocking.

Hello Amalex,

Thank you for reaching out regarding your concerns about upper abdominal swelling following your tummy tuck procedure. It's not uncommon to experience fluctuations in swelling during the recovery period, especially in the weeks immediately following surgery.

At 9 weeks post-tummy tuck, it's still relatively early in the healing process, and some degree of swelling can be expected as your body continues to adjust and heal. Swelling tends to be more pronounced later in the day, particularly after periods of activity, and may gradually improve with time as your body heals.

However, if your surgeon suspects that the muscle plication may be contributing to the upper abdominal bulge, further evaluation may be warranted. An ultrasound or CT scan can provide valuable insights into the integrity of the muscle repair and help determine if there are any issues with the underlying musculature that may be contributing to your symptoms.

In the meantime, I recommend following your surgeon's guidance regarding garment wear and any other post-operative instructions provided. Gentle massage and elevation of the legs may also help alleviate swelling and promote circulation in the affected area.

It's essential to maintain open communication with your plastic surgeon and address any concerns or changes in your symptoms promptly. Your surgeon is best equipped to assess your individual situation and provide personalized recommendations for managing your recovery effectively.

I hope this information helps provide some clarity on your situation. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to your plastic surgeon for guidance and support.

Best regards,

Dr. Katzen

The presence
of a significant abdominal bulge several months following abdominoplasty
surgery should be investigated.Especially if the bulge wasn’t present in the immediate post-operative
period.This type of bulge could occur
for a variety of reasons including swelling, seroma formation, encapsulated
hematoma, residual muscle weakness, recurrent separation of the muscles,
intra-abdominal fat excess, subcutaneous fat, hernia formation and possibly fat
necrosis.Under these circumstances, it’s
appropriate to obtain ultrasound and possibly MRI studies.Depending upon the results, revisional
surgery may be indicated.For these
reasons it’s important to consult your plastic surgeon.Your surgeon should be able to formulate an
appropriate treatment plan.

Tummy tucks are very popular and effective technique to contour the abdomen and tightened the patient's waist. During the surgery, your surgeon will perform several suture techniques to tighten the muscle layer you a smaller waist. It is possible that the bulge in your upper abdomen may be a slight loosening of the sutures. However the best way to determine the cause is to return to your plastic surgeon for an examination. They will be able to determine if this bulge is from the loosening of muscle layer or if this is a discrete collection of fat. Either way this bulge may be fixed with a small surgery.

To learn more about tummy tucks, see photos, and help you decide which one is best for you, please visit us at the link below:

Periumbilical swelling after a tummy tuck is not unusual.  Since the surgeon did not feel it was fluid, it could be swelling or residual fatty tissue under the skin.

1. Swelling from liposuction
2. Swelling from muscle tightening.
In the upper half of the abdomen, especially after a high tension abdomenoplasty, there can be excess swelling in the upper abdomen.
3. Fluid.
Although your doctor has ruled this out.
4. Widening of the muscle after repair.
That seems like an unfortunate event; you should have heard a pop or felt some activity that caused the muscles to release.
5. Relaxation of the muscles as a result of no exercise or activity. My advice is Pilates.

The upper abdominal subcutaneous tissues are often thicker than in the lower abdomen especially, after a Tummy Tuck. This can be due to intrinsic presence of subcutaneous fat, or because the lower abdominal soft tissue layer is pulled tighter, thus producing a thinning effect.
There can also be a side-to-side gathering of the upper abdominal fat layer and skin if the upper abdominal muscles are pulled together significantly without redistribution of the overlying soft tissues. This bunching up of the soft tissue can produce a central bulging effect. So, the fullness can be an absolute or a relative difference in thickness.
It may also be a consequence of the dynamic circulation, particularly of lymphatic fluid, of the upper abdomen. The usual drainage of this area is away from the belly button, towards the axilla. If the area becomes traumatized, especially by liposuction, this lymphatic circulation can be disturbed, and the edema has a difficult time to flow aganist gravity, and can collect as a ridge of swelling in the upper abdomen.