Failed tummy tuck. What could be the problem and how should it be repaired?
Asked 2014-09-29
I had a tummy tuck 3 months ago. My belly was pretty flat for the first 6 weeks while I was wearing the compression garment. Once I stop wearing the garment, I started noticing a bulge above the belly bottom, which has progressively increased. It looks like a deformity now and is pretty big. My plastic surgeon sent me to do an ultrasound and it shows no fluid and no hernia. What could be the problem and how should it be repaired?
1 answer
Procedure(s)
Assuming you had fascial plication to correct diastasis rectus deformity (translation: your muscles were stitched together to flatten your belly), a recurrence of the deformity can arise late after surgery if your fascia is not strong. By 6 weeks, the wound healing should be strong enough that it would not rely on suture strength to hold things together. Unfortunately, some people have very thin or weak fascia, and the tightened fascia can tear or stretch causing a bulge to occur. Abdominal obesity will also make this problem more likely to occur. If your plastic surgeon confirms this indeed has occurred, you should ask whether a revision using mesh to reinforce the fascia is a good option for you.