Dealing with Skin Necrosis After Tummy Tuck

Unfortunately,
patients occasionally suffer skin necrosis following abdominoplasty.This situation occurs for a variety of
reasons including diabetes, collagen vascular diseases, infection, tension on
the wound closure and vascular compromise.The incidence of skin necrosis following surgery is higher in patients
with a history of cigarette smoking.Once skin necrosis has occurred,
treatment varies from patient to patient depending upon the severity of the
problem.Many wounds require
debridement, followed by dressing changes and eventual scar revision.In some cases necrotic tissue may become
infected and antibiotics may be required as well.When patients have relatively small
superficial wounds, scabs will eventually lift off the wound surface revealing
granulation tissue.Once this has
occurred the wound will contract as the skin grows over the top.This process typically takes four to six
weeks to reach completion.During this period, it’s important
that the wound be monitored by your plastic surgeon.When this approach is taken most wounds heal
nicely.

Skin necrosis can occur in any surgical procedure. It occurs when the skin and fat has loss of blood supply and therefore "dies". First we debride the area which removes all the dead tissue. Then dressing changes are used until the area heals up. You don't need antibiotics unless it is infected. Once healed, you may need a revision. 

Unfortunately, even with well planned surgeries in patients at low risk, problems can arise such as skin necrosis. Before the wound can heal, all dead tissue must be debrided (removed).
Given the unexpected events that you suffered, packing of the wounds: 1) allows ongoing evaluation of the tissues to assess the need for ongoing debridement. 2) Furrthermore the gauze itself can act as a debriding agent. 3) Lastly,, keeping the wound open actually treats an infection in the sense that it allows the wound to drain.
Your wounds will heal with wound care and may require scar revision at some later date.