Small Opening in Tummy Tuck Incision-should I Be Concerned?

As long as you're being followed by your plastic surgeon and performing dressing changes, your wound should heal up nicely over time.

It is quite common to have small wounds that you describe. For the best advice ask your surgeon in the office so they can see the wound. Commonly, soap and water followed by several times a day dressing changes will allow these areas to heal on their own. 

it is very likely that a buried suture knot has become infected and is draining and causing an irritation.  It is time to see your plastic surgeon for an evaluation.  Until the suture knot is removed it will continue to give your problems.  This is not an uncommon problem.  

Hi Debbie47991

Your safest course of action (as always) is to see your plastic surgeon and let them check you out.

However, your description is pretty classical for a stitch abscess. This is when one of the deep dissolving stitches works its way to the surface and gets infected. It is likely that at the base of your small hole is a stitch that could be removed and allow things to settle faster.

Applying antibiotic cream until you can see your plastic surgeon is a good idea.

Good Luck

Dr Gavin Sandercoe

Thank you for your question. My best advice would be to let your surgeon know and have him/her evaluate you.

It would be improper to give you medical advice over the internet, especially without seeing exactly how your wound looks.

The small break down of the wound that you have is not completely out of the ordinary, nor is it likely to be something of major concern, but again, I could not say for certain without more information. Best case scenario- your doctor will prescribe some local wound care until it seals up on its own. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you!

Hi Debbie,

There can be a few reasons for this sort of thing to occur.

There may have been a small hematoma just under the suture line that has delayed healing or an oil cyst. Contamination or a minor infection can occur and this would account for the discharge you have noticed.

Or there may be a dissolving suture at the site which has become infected.

You should let your surgeon take a look at the area in case a stitch needs removal. Alternatively your surgeon may recommend an antibiotic cream.