Risk of Necrosis After Tummy Tuck?

Tissue necrosis is a well-known complication of
abdominoplasty.This complication occurs
when tissue has inadequate blood supply and subsequently dies.The area that’s most vulnerable to this type
of problem lies directly above the abdominal incision.This is the point, that blood has the
furthest to travel.When
patients undergo abdominoplasty, the skin and fat are elevated away from the
underlying abdominal muscles.This means
that blood has to pass through a flap that consist of fat and skin to reach the
incision site.Anything that compromises
this blood supply can result in tissue necrosis. Several
conditions have been associated with skin necrosis in abdominoplasty
patients.These include diabetes, collagen
vascular disease, infection, tension on the wound closure and cigarette
smoking.All of these conditions
compromise the small blood vessels that flow through the abdominal skin flap.This poor blood flow can result in tissue
necrosis.By
carefully evaluating patients in the pre-operative period, the incidence of
this complication can be minimized but never totally eliminated.

Necrosis is when tissue of the surgical site dies (become necrotic) following surgery. Tissue may change colour, begin to fall off and become infected. Corrective surgery is necessary to resolve this. Skin or fat (usually when it is transferred) necrosis is more common in people who smoke or are diabetic, when blood circulation.

Hello! Thank you for your question! The issue with nicotine is that it
also acts as a vasoconstrictor, clamping down of blood vessels. Blood
supply is always of great concern during any surgical procedure, but
especially in such a procedure as a breast augmentation where the viability of the
skin/tissue, and nipple-areolar complex is obviously important. Since the vascularity to
the area is already tenuous since it will be raised by cutting around
the area, maximizing blood flow to the tissue is critical. Typically,

we recommend at least 6 weeks of smoking cessation prior to and at
least 6 weeks after any surgical procedure. The longer, the better.
Nicotine always increases the risk for infection, nipple necrosis, poor
scarring, and
wound complications, as well as other health consequences including blood clots. The
anesthesia risk is greater with general anesthesia as well as pulmonary
issues/lung infections postoperatively. I would
discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this
helps! Best wishes!