Can you sew together the abdominal muscles without a tummy tuck?

Dear WineMom,Endoscopic repair of diastasis recti can be performed without a full or even mini tummy tuck. However, very, very few patients are candidates for this procedure. Almost all patients with diastasis recti have associated loose skin which can only be treated by removal. Sometimes the muscle can be repaired and the excess skin can be removed via a mini tummy tuck whereby the there is no incision around the belly button or the belly button is not moved. However, most patients have the best result with a full tummy tuck with an incision around the belly button as well because of the amount of skin laxity present. See a plastic surgeon for an examination in person so that they can evaluate you and give you their opinion based on your exam. Hope this helps.

Thanks for your question and for your photo. Endoscopic tummy tuck can repair the muscles through small incisions but it is an unlikely patient that is truly a good candidate for this. Most women who require muscle repair will benefit from at least some skin excision. In my own practice, in select candidates I perform full muscle tightening, but with only a mini tummy tuck skin excision. This gives me enough access to tighten the muscles and the scar is smaller. While the belly button is separated from the skin it is put back in its original location like a mini tummy tuck.Endoscopic tummy tuck would likely take longer and cost as much or more as a regular tummy tuck. I charge a full tummy tuck for procedure I have described above. While a mini tummy tuck costs less from your description it may not address the separation you have above the belly button.Hope this helps.

About one in a hundred people need the endoscopic tummy tuck that I see. It is more difficult to perform and about the same as a regular tummy tuck in my practice. It sews the muscles back together and then uses ultrasonic Vaser liposuction to finissh the procedure. Good Luck!

Although I have seen it done with a large midline incision, it is very difficult and near impossible to correct a rectus diastasis in a cosmetically acceptable way without a tummy tuck.

This can be repaired endoscopically by a general surgeon. However a diastasis is not a true hernia, only hernia repairs are covered by insurance. The costs would likely be as much or more than a tummy tuck. You appear to be in very good physical condition and are not over weight, this makes you an ideal candidate for a tummy tuck. Your best bet would be to hold out until you can afford the tummy tuck.