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  • What Are the Risks of Tummy Tuck?
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Male Voice: The risks of tummy tuck surgery are the risks of any surgery. First, we're making an incision. And there's always a very small chance that the incision may not heal well or may open up. Fortunately, this is extremely, extremely rare and these concerns really apply to people who may not be in good health or who may be actively smoking. In fact, I do not recommend any elective tummy tuck surgery while you're actively smoking because smokers generally are not at their best healing potential and the risks outweigh the benefits.

The other risk of tummy tuck surgery include a fluid collection, also known as a seroma. And the way we prevent any fluid collections is we use two little drains that are placed below your incisions. Those drains allow any excess fluid building up at your tummy tuck site to exit out so that area heals down very nicely.

Bleeding is a risk of any surgery. Fortunately, bleeding risk is very, very rare in tummy tuck surgery. And to date, I have not had to transfuse a single patient who has had a tummy tuck. They've not needed any transfusions to date. Of course, bleeding is a risk of any surgery.

Infection risk is managed and prevented with IV antibiotics that are given right before your surgery. And you're going to take about three to five days of oral antibiotic or antibiotic pills at home after your surgery.

And lastly a risk of any tummy surgery, whether it be a tummy tuck, a C-section or a hysterectomy, any abdominal surgery is a risk of a blood clot also known as a DVT or a deep-venous thrombosis. The way we prevent blood clots is we keep massage boots on your calves and on your legs during the surgery to keep the blood circulating to prevent blood clots.

And early ambulation is really important. We get all of our tummy tuck patients walking a few hours after surgery. You're not going to be running up and down the halls, of course. But taking baby steps to go to the bathroom, walking in the hallway, walking in your house, is very good because early ambulation gets your own blood circulated so you don't get a blood clot.

When we meet during your consultation, we'll review all the risks to give you an idea of what the risks are. And we work very hard to contain and minimize these risks.

What Are the Risks of Tummy Tuck?

Doctor Bob Basu discusses the possible risks of Tummy Tuck surgery.