I need a Tummy Tuck I saw 3 doctors I liked 2 of them they are rated top in the area on realself.com. one doctor said the surgery will take 5 hours the other said 3 hours. I am terrified of the surgery and I want to know if there is more risk for being under anesthesia for 5 hours vs 3 hours? I am 37 years old, 5' 6 ", and 132 lbs. both doctors said I do not need much of liposuction.
Answer: Tummy tuck surgery 5 hours under general anesthesia vs 3 hours? A tummy tuck typically takes me 1.25 hours to 2.5 hours. Find a plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of tummy tucks each year, has great reviews, and has great before and after pictures.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA
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Answer: Tummy tuck surgery 5 hours under general anesthesia vs 3 hours? A tummy tuck typically takes me 1.25 hours to 2.5 hours. Find a plastic surgeon who performs hundreds of tummy tucks each year, has great reviews, and has great before and after pictures.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA
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April 6, 2014
Answer: Length of Surgery and Safety Up until now there is little hard evidence on whether increase in time of surgery increases risk. Nevertheless, there is a considerable opinion that greater than 5 hours in surgery leads to increased risks (bleeding, fluid shifts, possibly infections). If there is a difference in risk between 3 hours of surgery and 5 hours that risk is small. However, particularly with abdominoplasty ( versus other elective surgeries), there is a definite small risk of blood clots in the leg veins, which can be quite serious if they break off and go the lung. Doing the procedure under sedation ( Monitored Anesthesia Care) with local anesthesia probably eliminates this risk, but most surgeons use general anesthesia which is quite acceptable. However, it is important that they take precautions regarding blood clots, and it is import for you to ambulate soon after surgery. So...in general the less time under anesthesia the better, but if the operation is less than 5 hours, the increased time brings minimal if any additional riskUp until now there is little hard evidence on whether increase in time of surgery increases risk. Nevertheless, there is a considerable opinion that greater than 5 hours in surgery leads to increased risks (bleeding, fluid shifts, possibly infections). If there is a difference in risk between 3 hours of surgery and 5 hours that risk is small. However, particularly with abdominoplasty ( versus other elective surgeries), there is a definite small risk of blood clots in the leg veins, which can be quite serious if they break off and go the lung. Doing the procedure under sedation ( Monitored Anesthesia Care) with local anesthesia probably eliminates this risk, but most surgeons use general anesthesia which is quite acceptable. However, it is important that they take precautions regarding blood clots, and it is import for you to ambulate soon after surgery. So...in general the less time under anesthesia the better, but if the operation is less than 5 hours, the increased time brings minimal if any additional risk
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April 6, 2014
Answer: Length of Surgery and Safety Up until now there is little hard evidence on whether increase in time of surgery increases risk. Nevertheless, there is a considerable opinion that greater than 5 hours in surgery leads to increased risks (bleeding, fluid shifts, possibly infections). If there is a difference in risk between 3 hours of surgery and 5 hours that risk is small. However, particularly with abdominoplasty ( versus other elective surgeries), there is a definite small risk of blood clots in the leg veins, which can be quite serious if they break off and go the lung. Doing the procedure under sedation ( Monitored Anesthesia Care) with local anesthesia probably eliminates this risk, but most surgeons use general anesthesia which is quite acceptable. However, it is important that they take precautions regarding blood clots, and it is import for you to ambulate soon after surgery. So...in general the less time under anesthesia the better, but if the operation is less than 5 hours, the increased time brings minimal if any additional riskUp until now there is little hard evidence on whether increase in time of surgery increases risk. Nevertheless, there is a considerable opinion that greater than 5 hours in surgery leads to increased risks (bleeding, fluid shifts, possibly infections). If there is a difference in risk between 3 hours of surgery and 5 hours that risk is small. However, particularly with abdominoplasty ( versus other elective surgeries), there is a definite small risk of blood clots in the leg veins, which can be quite serious if they break off and go the lung. Doing the procedure under sedation ( Monitored Anesthesia Care) with local anesthesia probably eliminates this risk, but most surgeons use general anesthesia which is quite acceptable. However, it is important that they take precautions regarding blood clots, and it is import for you to ambulate soon after surgery. So...in general the less time under anesthesia the better, but if the operation is less than 5 hours, the increased time brings minimal if any additional risk
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April 5, 2014
Answer: Length of anesthesia If you have found two plastic surgeons that are excellent at what they do and you like them the choice is really yours. The difference in anesthesia time, two hours, is not significant. If you're healthy and a good candidate five hours versus three hours of anesthesia time will not increase your complication rate.Good luck.Earl Stephenson Jr MD DDS FACS
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April 5, 2014
Answer: Length of anesthesia If you have found two plastic surgeons that are excellent at what they do and you like them the choice is really yours. The difference in anesthesia time, two hours, is not significant. If you're healthy and a good candidate five hours versus three hours of anesthesia time will not increase your complication rate.Good luck.Earl Stephenson Jr MD DDS FACS
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December 15, 2016
Answer: Tummy Tuck - time under general anesthesia The general guideline for outpatient surgery is 6 hours. Make sure your doctor is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. It seems that you are young and healthy so the risk of anesthesia is really, really, really small. If you are concerned about anesthesia, then talk not to the plastic surgeon, but the anesthesia provider for those doctors and review with them your concerns. From your pictures, you need a full tummy tuck with a little bit of liposuction. Depending on the amount of assistance a surgeon has, 2-4 hours is pretty average. Best Wishes!!
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December 15, 2016
Answer: Tummy Tuck - time under general anesthesia The general guideline for outpatient surgery is 6 hours. Make sure your doctor is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. It seems that you are young and healthy so the risk of anesthesia is really, really, really small. If you are concerned about anesthesia, then talk not to the plastic surgeon, but the anesthesia provider for those doctors and review with them your concerns. From your pictures, you need a full tummy tuck with a little bit of liposuction. Depending on the amount of assistance a surgeon has, 2-4 hours is pretty average. Best Wishes!!
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April 4, 2014
Answer: How long should my surgery take? Speed should never be goal of a surgeon, but efficiency is certainly a garland. Five hours sounds way too long for a full tummy tuck unless other procedures are to be combined with it. Two to three hours is the norm. Having said that, there is little difference to the patient from a medical perspective whether the procedure takes 3 or 5 hours. Some surgeons just like to take a long time. Most would claim that they are simply being 'meticulous,' while others would say they suffer from OCD. It is a fact that all surgeons are 'slow' at the start of their careers or with surgery they don't do often. The only issue is one of cost since the OR facility and the anesthesiologist are on the clock.If your doctor is an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and if you feel comfortable in your relationship with him or her, then the issue of how long the surgery takes is moot.
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April 4, 2014
Answer: How long should my surgery take? Speed should never be goal of a surgeon, but efficiency is certainly a garland. Five hours sounds way too long for a full tummy tuck unless other procedures are to be combined with it. Two to three hours is the norm. Having said that, there is little difference to the patient from a medical perspective whether the procedure takes 3 or 5 hours. Some surgeons just like to take a long time. Most would claim that they are simply being 'meticulous,' while others would say they suffer from OCD. It is a fact that all surgeons are 'slow' at the start of their careers or with surgery they don't do often. The only issue is one of cost since the OR facility and the anesthesiologist are on the clock.If your doctor is an experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and if you feel comfortable in your relationship with him or her, then the issue of how long the surgery takes is moot.
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