A small hole in my tummy tuck scar. (photos)

Question

I have a little hole on my tummy tuck scar and i am so worried. The nurse of my doctor said that maybe my body spit a stitch . She said that i should cleand it with soap and water and use gauze. Is coming out a mixtures of blood and a white stuff. I am so scared . I just regret having a TT.

Austin Hayes, MD · Answer

I'm sorry to hear about your concerns after your tummy tuck surgery. From the photos, it appears that you are healing well. It's common for a small area to open as a dissolving stitch is trying to come out. Make sure to follow the advice of your plastic surgeon's office.

Karen Singer, MD · Answer

Thank you for sending the pictures. In reviewing these, it appears that you are healing excellently from your Tummy Tuck. I concur with my colleagues that the small hole you are experiencing is a dissolving spitting suture which is very common after this surgery. Follow the advice of your surgeon's office. Hopefully in time you will be happy that you had your Tummy Tuck. Best wishes.Karen Singer, M.D., P.A.Harvard GraduateBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

You regret having a TT because of a minor wound issue? WOW you really need to see your surgeon to have a face to face conversation. The minor opening will heal or can be excised and re sutured. But your statement about the TT is quite troubling.

Francis (Frank) William Rieger, MD (retired) · Answer

Thanks for the question, but from the two photos that you have sent your scar seems to be well healing and the small hole may very well represent an opening from a spot through which a dissolving stitch as come out.  You mentioned that the nurse working with the Plastic Surgeon who performed the surgery has suggested.  Without any further information this makes sense. I would follow the advice for treatment that may have been recommended to you. This area should heal up well if this truly is what  the findings suggest.Don't worry and good luck to you.Frank Rieger M.D.  Tampa Plastic Surgeon

William A. Terranova, MD (retired) · Answer

I am sorry that  you regret having your tummy tuck.  Without all the photos, I cannot say whether it was worth it or not.  However this small problem is NOT a reason to be regretful.  It is indeed a spitting suture (the sutures are dissolvable but sometimes they come out through the skin before they fully dissolve--hence, "spitting"). The white stuff is the dissolving suture.  The care they have recommended is correct. This is VERY common.  It will heal spontaneously and will not make the scar worse.  Good luck.

A small hole in my tummy tuck scar. (photos)

Answers (5)