Tummy tuck with MR and abdominal lipo - General Anesthesia or Twilight Local Sedation?

Hi and thanks for your question.  Personally, I would only do a tummy tuck under general anesthesia.  My guess is most plastic surgeons would agree.  I think under local with sedation the surgeon would not have as good control over the procedure, both in terms of safety and cosmetic outcome.  Best of luck.

I have performed tummy tucks with sedation and with general anesthesia. I only perform minimal revision tummy tucks under local with sedation at this time. It is much easier to get a very good result with general anesthesia versus sedation. The repair of a diastasis rectus is best done under general anesthesia. The abdomen is a large area to be comfortable with local anesthesia in current safe doses.

I am not sure it would be fair to comment about this, but I think that most surgeons perform tummy tucks under general anesthesia.  I
would search for the board certified plastic surgeon who you feel is
most likely to give you the best results and who performs hundreds of
these procedures each year. I would look at patient reviews as well as
before and after photos on that surgeon's website.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Thank you for your question. I perform tummy tuck operations in an out patient surgery center, and under general anesthesia only.  I use Board Certified Anesthesiologists who monitor my patients from start to end so as to provide the safest environment for my patients.  These are extensive procedures and I would recommend general anesthesia so that you are as comfortable/safe/immobile as possible during the procedure.I hope this, and the attacked link, helps.

Dear rjandj,

Every
tummy tuck patient has specific and individualized anatomical concerns that
need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
Excellent results following tummy tuck surgery can be achieved under
general anaesthesia as well as IV sedation and local anaesthesia. Most plastic surgeons with extensive
experience will want to ensure your safety and the best possible outcome. If there is a significant amount of muscle
repair with a rectus diastasis to be performed, it can often be difficult to
get the abdominal wall to relax significantly without general anaesthesia and
this may compromise the overall outcome of your abdominal contour.However, if in the assessment, both yourself
and the physician, the amount of muscle repair is mild to modest, I have had
excellent results over the last 20 years doing some tummy tuck surgery with
modest muscle repair under twilight sedation and local anaesthesia. By infiltrating the fascia of the muscle,
which is the lining, prior to the repair, the muscle itself relaxes, the nerves
to the muscles weaken and a great repair can be achieved. However, in extensive muscle repairs, this is
not as easily performed. The muscle can
become rigid during the procedure and compromise your outcome.

I
think revisiting your operative physicians and reinvestigating the reasons for
the choice of anaesthesia and the kind of muscle repair that they can achieve
would be important. This is a big
decision in your life and you want to make sure that you’ve made the right
choice, not only from a safety perspective, but from an aesthetic outcome.

For
more information, please review the link below.

I
hope this information has been of some assistance and best of luck.

Sincerely,

R.
Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville,
Toronto