What Are The Risks With Upper Abdominal Liposuction with Tummy Tuck?

This is a topic which always seems to be discussed at plastic surgery meetings and conferences. Basically if you liposuction the upper abdomen during a tummy tuck you risk injuring the blood supply to the abdominal skin which can lead to skin death (necrosis). I can not give you an accurate percentage, but we do know this carries a risk which can easily be avoided by not doing liposuction. It is a risk that most plastic surgeons are not willing to take because of the potential disastrous consequences.  Some of the fat can be carefully trimmed (with a scissor or scalpel) which is much more precise than liposuction, therefore preserving the blood vessels.

Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon in person for a complete evaluation and explanation.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

Liposuction of the upper abdomen can safely be done during a tummy tuck as long as the tummy tuck does not jeopardize the upper abdominal blood flow too extensively. The upper part of the tummy tuck dissection should be more central and conservatively done and this will allow the upper abdomen to be safely liposuctioned.
I perform these 2 procedures at the same time very frequently and I have not seen any skin necrosis problems due to it, of course you have to be in good health and a non smoker.

   Typically, I perform a small amount of liposuction at the same time as abdominoplasty surgery. This is usually done on the upper abdominal area and on the patient's flanks/waist.  However, one has to be cautious about performing too much lipo in combination with the tummy tuck procedure.

    Why is this?     A rich blood supply is needed for the abdominoplasty incision to heal, and having too much lipo at the same time can potentially compromise this blood flow. I often stage the procedures when there is excessive upper abdominal fat by first performing an abdominoplasty and then following this up with additional liposuction 4-6 months later to further improve the results.  This two stage procedure is not necessary in everyone, but your surgeon should be able to tell you if you are a candidate.  Hope this helps.

Most experienced surgeons will be able to perform liposuction with a tummy tuck. Certain tummys lend themselves to more liposuction than others. Not all tummy tucks are the same and different tummy tucks lend themselves to more aggressive liposuction than others. Regardless, care must be taken when performing liposuction during tummy tucks so as not to cause a problem with circulation and then delayed healing. You certainly can't fault your surgeon for being conservative in order to avoid problems. Safety should always come first.

for years (ten) i never did liposuction on my tummy tucks, then for another ten years I did it routinely. today i select which cases do I combine and which cases I stage. good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment. see a board certified plastic surgeon and discuss your concerns. Safety is Important, but the two can be combined; in most patients.