Houston Plastic Surgery Blog

Tummy tucks surgery is generally an extremely safe procedure. However, any surgery that requires general anesthesia carries risk. There are certain risks specifically associated with tummy tuck surgery.

Some general surgery risks include:

• Reactions to anesthesia or medication
• Bleeding or blood clots
• Lung complications, like pneumonia
• Infection
• Slow healing wounds

Risks considered higher in tummy tuck procedures include delayed wound healing. Most patients experience a decrease in pain and swelling six weeks after surgery. Patients who feel pain and swelling longer are slow healing. Patients who are younger and in good health will heal more quickly than older patients or patients who have health complications.

Risk of infection is a concern for any surgical procedure. Tummy tuck surgery requires sub dermal silicone drains to reduce the risk of infection. Seroma is a pocket of clear fluid that develops in the body following surgery. Drains are used to remove the seroma from the body. These drains lead from the wound site to suction bulbs. Dr. Lapuerta uses the bulbs to remove the seroma during the recovery period. Because every patient heals at different rates, drains are removed only when there is no further risk of seroma-related infection.

If you have further questions about tummy tuck surgery, please contact Houston, Texas area plastic surgeon Dr. Leo Lapuerta to schedule a consultation.