Possible Complications

Serious complications after an abdominoplasty are relatively uncommon. However, there will be a long scar (usually, but not always, within the bathing suit line) extending from hip to hip. The scar may remain itchy, painful, thick, or otherwise unsightly. It is unusual, but possible, for areas of fat to liquefy and drain through the incision for many months. As with any abdominal procedure, it is also possible for a suture or staple to become infected and to erode through the skin years later.

Fat is poorly vascularized, does not have much tensile strength and does not contribute significantly to holding the wound together. In this type of surgery, particularly involving the trunk or lower extremities, there is a very high incidence of portions of the incisions pulling open. Occasionally the wound margins can be resutured, but frequently the safest course of action is to leave the wound open and allow it to heal by contraction and secondary intention. This might take a few months to occur and may necessitate wound care at home from a visiting nurse. Should this occur, it may be necessary to perform a secondary scar revision a year or so later. As with all complications or desired secondary procedures, each patient will be responsible for the cost of a subsequent care or procedures.

It is common to experience swelling of the hands with a brachioplasty, or of the ankles following thigh or buttocks surgery. Such swelling is self limiting. Some areas of numbness will be evident following body contouring surgery. Usually, most of the feeling will return within about a year but some patients will experience areas of permanent numbness.

One of the most common problems after body contouring is a persistent collection of serous fluid under your skin after the drains have been removed. Should this occur, this fluid will be aspirated by your surgeon with a needle during your post-operative visits. Such drainage always stops eventually (but may persist for more than a month) and usually does not affect the final results. If wound problems develop, it may take several weeks or even months for healing to take place, and the patient will be required to wear dressings over the open wound. Because of the extensive skin and fat undermining, areas of skin may die and slough, or even require surgical debridement or a skin graft. Rarely, phlebitis may develop in leg veins and even more rarely, blood clots could travel to the lungs, potentially leading to a fatal complication.

Perfect symmetry does not exist before or after body contouring surgery. Scars will never be identical from side to side. As mentioned earlier, it will take longer than a year for scars to fade.

Secondary procedures may occasionally be desirable to revise scars or to remove additional tissues. The patient will be responsible for all costs associated with secondary surgical procedures.

It is not possible to list every conceivable complication. As with any operation, there could be potential complications, which could even be fatal. The foregoing is not intended to frighten or upset you but to enable you to make your decision with an understanding of some of the involved risks.