Will Tummy Tuck Revision Be As Difficult to Recover From?

Question

I had my TT on 10/14/11/ with MR and Lipo. I contracted MRSA and Staph shortly after my TT and now have a pocket that will not heal. It continues to fill with infection and fluid. I've had 4 drains now and if will not seal. So, I have changed surgeons and have been told that I will have to have a revision. I won't have muscle repair this time, so can I expect such a difficult recovery? I will have stretched skin removed and lipo on upper stomach. Will it cost as much as the original?

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.

	I'm sorry to hear about the complications you have experienced after tummy tuck surgery.

	The good news is that the recovery after revisionary surgery is generally less involved and less painful than the initial tummy tuck surgery. Most of the recovery discomfort after tummy tuck surgery is related to the &ldquo;muscle repair&rdquo;.

	Unfortunately, not knowing the specifics involved I can't speculate on the costs of the revisionary surgery planned.

	Make sure you have selected a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon.

	Best wishes.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

The recovery
from abdominoplasty revision varies from patient to patient and depends upon a
multitude of variables.In some cases
the recovery may be similar to the original procedure, especially if the
underlying muscles need to be repaired. The majority of revisions aren’t as complex as the original procedure
and involve lesser degrees of dissection. Under these circumstances, recoveries tend to be shorter and associated
with less discomfort.In most cases patients can
anticipate limited physical activity for ten to fourteen days following
surgery. Patients can gradually resume
normal activity over the next two weeks.Patients can usually return to work in one to two weeks if no strenuous
activity or heavy lifting is involved. After six weeks patients can resume all their normal activities
including heavy lifting.Pain management is extremely
important, especially when the abdominal muscles are tightened.Most patients are given narcotic pain
relievers and eventually switched to Tylenol five to seven days following
surgery.The cost of revisional surgery
varies from case to case and depends upon several variables.These costs include the surgeons fee, anesthesia
charges and facility fees.In the
majority of cases, it’s usually less than the original surgery, but in some
cases may actually be more because of the complexity of the procedure.It’s important to thoroughly discuss
these issues with your plastic surgeon before surgery.Your surgeon should be able to answer your
questions and clarify these issues.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

Sorry to hear about your complications. Typically, recovery from the tummy tuck revision is not as involved as from the original surgery.

Brian Windle, MD (retired) · Answer

I am sorry to hear of your post operative trials.  MRSA can happen after any surgery and after a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, it can be an arduous recovery.  The good news is that usually you will heal in and get a result similar to what you would have had if you did not get an infection. In almost all cases like this, the only revision needed is a scar revision which is pretty easy compared to what you have already undergone.I hope that helps.Best regards.

Will Tummy Tuck Revision Be As Difficult to Recover From?

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Will Tummy Tuck Revision Be As Difficult to Recover From?

Answers (4)

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