Umbilical hernia after lipo?

Question

I had lipo360 about a year ago and now have an umbilical hernia right near one of my incisions points. What are the chances the surgery caused an issue which lead to the hernia?

Roger Smith, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi aanderson82, thank you for your question!
It is unlikely that liposuction caused an umbilical hernia. A hernia is an opening in the abdominal fascia, the 'strength layer' of the abdominal wall that envelops the abdominal musculature. For liposuction to cause a hernia, the cannula would have to puncture this fascia, which although possible, is actually quite difficult to do with blunt liposuction cannulas. This is especially true if you had your liposuction procedure while not under general anesthesia (tumescent anesthesia with sedation only). 
In the absence of previous surgery, an umbilical hernia is the most common type of hernia of the abdominal wall. What may have happened is that either 1) You had an umbilical hernia for some time and only after the liposuction reduced subcutaneous fat around the umbilicus could this hernia be seen or 2) Developed a new umbilical hernia from lifting/straining/activity at some point after surgery. Hernias become symptomatic for a large variety of reasons, and some do not cause any symptoms at all other than being visible. 
As with most questions and concerns, I recommend having an evaluation in person by a qualified surgeon to assess your hernia and provide guidance on the next steps in your care. 
Sincerely,
Dr. Smith

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