Abdominoplasty

The basic aim of abdominoplasty is to eliminate skin problems and lesions on the abdominal wall and to restore it to a condition close to its original state.

Patients usually come to us with the following problems:

• sagging skin (so-called “apron belly”);
• skin diseases of the skin in areas where they meet (eczema, inflammation, fungal infections);
• wrinkles, stretch marks;
• excess fat;
• loose abdominal muscles;
• negative self-image, lack of self-confidence.

Consultation

During your personal consultation, our plastic surgeon will talk you through:

• Your expectations;
• the possibilities offered by the surgery (changes in shape and form).

After a full briefing, you may also need a laboratory and internal examination.

The surgery

Our internationally experienced plastic surgeons operate in a safe environment in our operating theatres with the most modern equipment. In the extremely rare event of any complications, we can also provide immediate intensive care.

Surgery is performed under surgical conditions, under general anaesthesia. It is also possible to use epidural anaesthesia, which creates numbness in the lower body. The procedure can then be performed while the patient is awake. The type of anaesthesia is agreed between you, the plastic surgeon and the anaesthetist.

1. Depending on its complexity, the operation can last from 90 minutes to 4 hours.
2. Our plastic surgeon can use a variety of techniques during the operation. The nature of the procedure depends on the amount of skin and fat tissue, the tightness of the abdominal muscles and your general condition. The position and size of the incision will be determined by the amount of skin to be removed.
3. Our plastic surgeon will remove excess fat by liposuction, tightening the muscles of the exposed abdominal wall, and then securing the remaining skin to the abdominal muscles with internal hidden stitches, improving skin tightness.
4. At the end of the operation, a bandage and compression abdominal bandage are applied to the operated area and remain in place for 6 weeks.
5. After the procedure, depending on your condition, you will be monitored for 1-2 nights, which you can spend in the comfortable and relaxed environment of our centre.

The overall recovery varies from person to person, as your general condition and activity level before the operation will make a big difference to the speed of recovery. Physical rest is important for a few weeks after the operation, followed by gradual exercise and a balanced lifestyle to ensure a speedy recovery.

You will need to wear the special compression garment for 6 weeks after the operation. You can usually return to a normal lifestyle after this time.

To ensure a speedy recovery, please note the following:

• sunbathing, tanning beds, saunas are not recommended for 1 year;
• heavy physical work, intense sports are not recommended for 8 weeks!

During this time it is quite natural to experience the following:

• painful, muscular fever, tightness in the treated area;
• swelling;
• interstitial haemorrhages
• sensory disturbances on the skin.

Although the chances of complications are extremely low, you should be aware of the following potential complications:

• haematoma (haematoma): quite rare but can occur and can be drained to prevent damage to the final aesthetic result;
• infection: not common, but requires treatment with drainage and antibiotics and may affect the quality of the result. It is not uncommon to see subcutaneous accumulation of lymph fluid and oily fluid leakage 8 days after surgery. The best way to prevent this complication is compression and rest;
• scar healing disorder;
• cutaneous necrosis (skin necrosis): extensive necrosis is rare, as is umbilical necrosis, so it is usually confined to a small area. It is more likely to occur if the patient is a smoker, especially if they have not stopped smoking before the operation;
  sensitivity disorders;
• changes in the sensation of the abdominal skin, often in the lower abdominal wall: these are usually transient and normal sensation is restored in most patients within 3-12 months;
• thromboembolic accidents (blood clots in the leg veins, pulmonary embolism): relatively rare but very serious. Preventive measures, such as getting the patient up and walking as soon as possible after surgery, wearing compression stockings, anticoagulant treatments (thromboprophylaxis injections under the skin), minimise these risks.

The operated area reaches its final shape 1 year after the operation.

Patients who have opted for a tummy tuck have reported an improvement in self-image. After the surgery:

• improved well-being, increased self-confidence;
• visibly firmer and more aesthetically pleasing abdomen;
• Although scars remained visible, they faded over time (within 1-3 years).