Upper Abdomen Bulge Following Tummy Tuck on Male Patient? (photo)

Thank you for the question.
As always, it is best to be seen in person ( by your plastic surgeon) for precise diagnosis and treatment.
Abdominal wall "swelling" after tummy tuck may be related to:
1. Swelling in the soft tissues.  This may take several months to resolve and may worsen with increased activity  or at the end of the day.   Patience  is required to allow for resolution of the swelling. The swelling occurs because of the interruption of venous and lymphatic channels that occurs during the tummy tuck operation.
2. Fluid accumulation in the space between the skin and the abdominal wall muscle.  this may consist of blood ( hematoma)  or serum (seroma).  This fluid accumulation can generally be diagnosed by physical examination ( occasionally ultrasound  may be helpful).  Treatment consists of aspiration;  several episodes of aspiration may be necessary. 
3. Separation of the abdominal wall muscle repair may lead to a swelling/bulge appearance. This may be diagnosed on physical examination  with your surgeon examining you in different bodily positions. One of the steps of a tummy tuck procedure involves reapproximation (plication)  of the rectus muscles.  These muscles have spread apart during pregnancy and/or weight gain. Bringing them together again in the midline helps to “tighten” the abdominal wall as well as to narrow the waistline.
4. Residual adipose tissue may be confused for swelling. Again this is most easily diagnosed by physical examination. Additional liposuction surgery maybe necessary to improve the results of surgery.
Generally, it takes many months for swelling to resolve after tummy tuck surgery and it may take up to one year  (or greater)  a complete skin redraping  to occur.
I hope this helps.

Hello and thank you for the question and photos.

It is quite early after the surgery to start thinking that something has gone wrong.  I think you should give it at least 3-6 months before the final results will settle in.  You will have some persistent swelling in the abdominal area for some time yet.  If the swelling persists then it could be due to a persisting diastasis of the recti muscles, it could be some excess fat that is bulging still or it could be some excess skin.  With regards to the numbness it is more common to have lower abdominal numbness more so than upper abdominal numbness.  The numbness in the lower abdomen will improve to some extent, but not completely.

Regards

Stephen Salerno

 

Your bulging is concerning but it is very early.   If it persists it means you did not have a repair of the upper rectus diastasis.  That would be an error in technique.  See your doctor and get explanations.  My Best,  Dr C