Abdominoplasty, known more commonly as a "tummy tuck," is a major surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and to tighten the muscles of the abdominal wall. It can also improve the appearance of a protruding abdomen. Abdominoplasty does produce a permanent scar, which can extend from hip to hip.

Some patients with a protruding abdomen do not require abdominoplasty. If your have abdomen protrudes, but you do not have significant excess skin, you may benefit from liposuction. Be sure you understand the relative advantages and disadvantages of both procedures as you make your decision.

There are three basic versions of tummy tuck surgery: Traditional tuck, Limited Tuck, and Endoscopic Tuck. Treatment recommendations are based on your examination & personal preferences.

The incision for either surgery will vary according to your specific needs. The most common incision reaches from hip to hip at the level of your pubic bone. Not all clothing will conceal this incision. A second incision is made around your navel.

You skin and fat layer is lifted from the muscle layer of your tummy wall. In traditional tummy tuck surgery, the surgery extends up to your rib cage, while in a limited tuck the surgery extends just above your navel. This is the difference between traditional and limited tummy tuck surgery.

To flatten your stomach, you tummy wall muscles are "tightening" with stitches. The excess skin in then removed.

If you tummy muscles are stretched out, but your skin has maintained its elasticity, you may be a candidate for endoscopic tummy tuck. In endoscopic tuck surgery, the extent of surgery and the tightening of the tummy wall muscle is the same as traditional tuck surgery. The difference is that no skin is removed, allowing a smaller incision to be used.

Except for the full tummy tuck, surgery is usually performed as an outpatient, usually under general anesthesia. Full abdominoplasty usually requires at least an overnight stay.

If you live more than 20-30 minutes from Syracuse, you should consider spending the night of surgery at a local hotel. Should you experience a possible surgical complication, I do not want distance to prevent you from being evaluated. Following anesthesia, some patients may become nauseated. Traveling longer distances may increase your risk of becoming carsick.

To limit the risk of fluid or blood collecting at the surgery site, one or more drains are used. You will monitor and record the volume of fluid collected, calling the office daily to report your drainage. When the drainage is low enough, it will be removed in the office.

Due to the large area that must heal, you need to limit your physical activity. You can think of healing like allowing glue to set: It takes time. While we try to aid nature, there is nothing we can do to speed nature.

For comfort and support, you will be given an elastic abdominal binder. While you can wear your binder 24 hours daily, you should wear the binder whenever you are up. After the first several days, the binder is no longer required, but most patients continue wearing the binder as a matter of comfort.

Even while the drain is in place, you may shower, but not bathe. Lubricate the incision line(s) with antibiotic ointment as needed for comfort. Keep some form of absorbent material (gauze, Kotex pads, etc) over the incision. In addition to absorbing any drainage, it helps to limit chafing.

You may resume physical activity according to comfort. During the first week, while you can be up and about, vigorous activity is to be avoided. Vigorous activity, such as sports or working out at the gym, will take 3-6 weeks.

All surgery share the same general risks. These risks include bleeding, infection, scarring, altered sensation, tissue loss, and possible need for additional surgery. There are no risks unique to tummy tuck surgery. Due to the size of the area treated, risks of permanent change of sensation may be slightly higher. When combined with other surgery, such as liposuction or intra-abdominal surgery, the overall risks from surgery can be higher than tummy tuck alone.