My surgeon says a mommy makeover will take 8 hours. Is this safe?

Mommy makeovers combine several procedures in a single setting so they are longer cases. Board certified plastic surgeons routinely perform these procedures safely either in accredited surgical centers or hospitals with the appropriate team members (anesthesiologists/nurses/assistants, etc.) and appropriate postop/overnight monitoring. 

It's hard to say without knowing a little more about your situation.  How many procedures are part of the mommy makeover?  If we use the standard pairing, a breast procedure and tummy tuck, that could take as little as 2-3 hours or up to 4-5 hours depending on the extent of each part of the surgery.  I scratch my head as to how one could get to 8 hours unless we are talking about additional procedures such as face/arms/thighs.  In that case, the extent of surgery presents a bit of concern and can lead to a higher chance of postoperative difficulties.  I favor limiting surgery to 6 hrs (FL rules allow up to 8) if possible.  That allows for some extra time if needed and limits the difficulty of recovery.  I have found that nearly 100% of patients can be safely discharged to home with a very low chance of issues when following these and other principles.  

Depending on the type of operations that are performed in the efficiency of the surgeon a mommy makeover may take eight hours. Of and by itself this is not a contraindication but in my opinion you should spend the night in the care of a skilled nurse

dear Patient:  good question!  I would advise you to choose a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to give yourself an extra level of protection when you undergo a Mommy Makeover.  This being said, it varies with each surgeon what techniques they use and how much time they take.  In my practice I perform at least a Mommy Makeover a week, and the average time is 5 to 6 hours.  If the patient is a larger frame it might go to seven hours.  My Mommy Makeover includes TT, Breast Aug and a BBL (usually Mommy Makeovers dont include BBL) Hope this works!

Thanks for your inquiry, but without further details of your health and the planned procedures, it is impossible to advise. Other factors include where the surgery will be done and how you will recover.  Good Luck.

The primary concern when it comes to plastic surgery is safety.  After all, this is elective surgery and we need to minimize risks.  Length of surgery is one factor when we look at safety, but the specifics of the procedure being performed are more important.  An eight hour surgery that involves minimal blood loss or stress on the body is a different surgery than one that is only 4 hours, but has more significant physiologic stress.  That being said, in our practice, almost all cases are under 5 hours.  We often use a second board certified surgeon to assist in order to reduce the surgical times.

A Mommy Makeover typically combines procedures addressing the abdomen and breasts but can include other areas as well. The surgical time will depend on the number of procedures done and the areas addressed. For example if there is liposuction performed on the back as well as procedures on the front, the patient will need to be turned. This takes more time than some would think since the patient is under anesthesia. In all a Mommy Makeover could take 8 hours in some cases. A careful review of your health history and candidacy for the procedures is considered to determine risk. This is one of the many reasons why an experienced board certified plastic surgeon is so important.

This is a great question. In general, mommy makeover procedures can be lengthy due to there being multiple procedures happening at once. The length of your mommy makeover surgery will depend on the specifics of your case and what exactly you are having done. Safety is always the number one concern when it comes to any procedure. I recommend talking with your plastic surgeon and discussing your concerns. It is always better to ask your surgeon about the specifics of your case.

Mommy makeover surgery is surgery that may include many different procedures, and the amount of time each procedure takes determines how long the anesthesia will be.  Mommy makeovers almost always involve some type of tummy tuck and some type of breast surgery.  Sometimes a routine tummy tuck may be performed, but other patients may need or want more than that, including maybe liposuction of the flanks and back, or maybe a more circumferential body contouring procedure like a lower body lift.   Those procedures are different from each other, have different outcomes, and take different amounts of time.  The breast surgery, too, will vary from patient to patient.  Sometimes a breast augmentation is performed.  That's a pretty short operation.  Sometimes a breast lift or a breast reduction operation is performed.  Those take more time.The length of time an operation takes is one factor in determining how safe the operation may be, but what's really even more important is the overall health of the woman undergoing the surgery, and what her support structure will be once she goes home.  For two women undergoing the same operation, a 35 year-old mother of two who is thin and healthy and who has someone who can take a few days off to help her at home probably has less risk of complications than a 45 year-old woman with type 2 diabetes who can't find someone to help her much.  In my practice if an operation takes over 4 or 5 hours we have the woman spend the night in the hospital where the operation was performed.  She is kept comfortable with medications for discomfort and nausea.  The nursing staff helps her get up and get moving.  Less pain, less use of narcotics, and more movement in the first few days help minimize risks of problems like blood clots.   I prefer to do operations that last 6 hours or less, but occasionally will do longer procedures on healthy patients who have great support at home.  Mommy makeover procedures may create terrific results and outcomes for women, but safety is critically important.  You really need to have great support at home for 5 or 6 days at least, you need to be in good health, and you should not be using any type of nicotine product, even e-cigarettes.  Make sure that you feel like you surgeon is safe and ask her or him what she or he does to help keep you safe.  Certainly complications can happen, but there's a lot at stake here and you need to do what you can to minimize your risks.

Thank you for the question. Generally speaking, combination surgical procedures are done routinely. However, you are wise in being concerned about the safety of combination surgery; risks/possible complications do increase with increased length of surgery… 
It is best to evaluate each patient's suitability for combination surgery on an individualized basis. During this consultation process, after a complete history and physical, the SAFETY of combining these surgical procedures becomes of paramount importance. Plastic surgeon, anesthesia provider, duration of surgery, surgery facility all important considerations.
Your best bet: choose your plastic surgeon very carefully; everything else including good judgment/advice/planning, anesthesia provider and safe surgery facility will follow.  Always keep priorities (safety,  avoidance of complications, and quality of outcome) in mind as you make your decisions.  If in doubt, you will be best off seeking second opinion consultations with well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons in your area. Best wishes.