New York City · Tummy Tuck
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Tummy Tuck Patient Information - IMMEDIATELY AFTER SURGERY RECOVERY ROOM: You will feel sleepy or groggy when you awake from anesthesia. The length of your stay in the recovery room will depend on how quickly you feel ready to sit up and leave on your own. During this time, you will be monitored. You will spend at least 30 minutes to an hour in the recovery room. When Dr. Zevon thinks you are ready to depart, he will ask the OR nurse to help you get dressed. Your escort and our nurse will help you into your vehicle (car or taxi). Because you will be groggy, you should expect to move slowly and carefully. We will have a set of your Post-op Instructions at our reception desk for your escort. REST: When you arrive home, be prepared to rest in bed for the first 48 hours after abdominoplasty surgery. Eat lightly and drink to replenish your body fluids. You may go to the bathroom with assistance as needed. If you feel nauseated, lie on your back with your head down and remain still. Any sensation of nausea should pass by the morning after your abdominoplasty surgery. You may experience difficulty standing up straight during the first week or so because your abdominal muscles and skin have been tightened. The most comfortable position for you may be sitting up or lying down with your knees bent and supported by one or two pillows. The least comfortable position is to lie flat on your back with your hips flat and your knees straight. Don't lie flat! Place the pillows under your thighs and behind your back, not under your head. The abdominal tightness will gradually disappear as you heal and move around. PAIN: After abdominoplasty, most patients are comfortable enough to move around at home between 2 and 4 days after surgery. Most tummy tuck patients take the prescribed oral pain medication. DON'T DRIVE WHILE TAKING PAIN PILLS! The pain pump is a non-narcotic option for pain control. If you think you are interested in a pain pump, tell Dr. Zevon during your pre-op visit. In addition, placing ice bags padded with a towel over the abdomen may relieve discomfort significantly. MEDICATIONS: Take the antibiotics and pain medication prescribed by Dr. Zevon according to the pharmacy instructions. Don't take the pain medication on an empty stomach, as this will produce nausea and vomiting. Have another adult give you the pain medication at the correct time and/or keep written records of how much you take and when you take it. You do not have to take the pain medicine if you are not in pain, but you must take all of your antibiotics. Do not drive while taking pain medication. WHAT TO EXPECT: Swelling of the abdomen is normal following abdominoplasty. During the first week, your clothes may be tighter, and you may weigh more than before. The swelling subsides starting in the second week after tummy tuck surgery, but some fullness persists in the lower abdomen. Expect to see about 50% of the contour improvement in 2 weeks, 75% at 1 month, and the remainder by 3 months after tummy tuck surgery. Occasional patients may see subtle continued improvement up to 6 months after abdominoplasty. Some areas of your abdomen will feel numb or have diminished sensation. Normal sensation will return gradually over several months, but some diminished feeling may last indefinitely. Full abdominoplasty patients will have a horizontal scar low on the abdomen (below the bikini line) and a circular scar within the umbilicus (belly button). In some patients a different type or location of scar may be necessary because of individual variations in anatomy. You should discuss your incision lines with Dr. Zevon. Be assured that he will keep the scars as short and inconspicuous as possible. CALL DR. ZEVON IF you have severe pain not responding to pain medication or your dressings seem too tight. DON'T TAKE CHANCES! Call if you are concerned about anything you consider significant. During office hours, call (212) 496-6600. After hours, call (917) 612-3800. HYGIENE: Full abdominoplasty patients may shower 48 hours after surgery, after Dr. Zevon removes the dressings. Mini-abdominoplasty patients may shower when their bandages are removed the day after surgery. DRESSINGS & DRAIN CARE: At the time of surgery, gauze dressings and an abdominal binder will be applied around the abdomen. These will be removed from 1-2 days after tummy tuck surgery and will be replaced with clean dressings, which will remain in place until your drains are removed 4-10 days after surgery. Drains evacuate the fluid that accumulates after tummy tuck surgery and enable you to heal faster. Secure the bulb of the drain to your dressings or clothes with a safety pin. Twice a day or whenever the bulb is half full, empty the bulb by opening the plug at the top and pouring out the contents. Do not attempt to remove the bulb from the tubing. Squeeze the bulb to recompress it, and put the plug back into the hole at the top. If the bulb fills rapidly after emptying, or you need to empty it more than three times a day, please call us. Dr. Zevon will remove the drains when the fluid begins to turn a clear straw color and/or the amount of drainage has diminished. Showering with the drains in place is okay. ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS: Most patients return to normal activities and to work 10 to 14 days after abdominoplasty. Strenuous physical activities are prohibited for 6 weeks. You may sleep on your back or on your side, but don't sleep on your stomach for 4 weeks. Don't sit in the sun for heat for 4 weeks. DRIVING: For planning purposes, you can anticipate that you will not be able to drive for a week or so. You may find that you are ready to drive in less than a week, or that you are not ready at the end of the first week. Dr. Zevon usually tells abdominoplasty patients not to drive until they are recovered sufficiently that if they were driving and had a car accident they could truthfully state that the recent surgery had no impact on their ability to react in the emergency. SCARS: Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. Then they may remain the same size for several months, or even appear to widen. After several months, your scars will begin to fade, although they will never disappear completely. You should use sunscreen if you are in the sun in a bathing suit during the first year after your tummy tuck surgery. HERBAL REMEDIES: Some abdominoplasty patients report that arnica contributes to a reduction in bruising or swelling, resulting in reduced discomfort and edema, and improved healing. Ask us if you wish assistance in locating a source of arnica. Take arnica orally according to manufacturer's instructions on the packaging. POST-OPERATIVE APPOINTMENTS: At each post-operative appointment, Dr. Zevon will advise you how soon the next one should be scheduled. A typical schedule is first visit in 5-7 days, second visit in 7-10 days, third visit in 12-14 days, and fourth visit in one month. Check your post-operative instructions for your first appointment. If you don't have an appointment, call (212) 496-6600, tell the receptionist the date you had tummy tuck surgery and she will schedule your post-operative appointment. The purpose of the appointments is for Dr. Zevon to treat you as necessary, to make sure that you are healing properly and to allow you to return to normal activities consistent with your personal healing schedule. These appointments are the time to ask him about any questions or concerns you have about your recovery. Some patients find it helps to keep a list of questions to ask during each appointment.
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The shape of THINGS to comeSM - Dr. Zevon is a board certified plastic surgeon practicing in New York City. At his plastic surgery office in Manhattan, he performs cosmetic surgery procedures such as liposuction, tummy tuck, face lift, and eyelid surgery. Dr. Zevon also specializes in breast surgery procedures such as breast augmentation, breast implants and breast lift. Visit Dr. Zevon's extensive archive of plastic surgery before and after photographs. New York City · Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck): Board-certified plastic surgeon Scott J. Zevon MD maintains this website to provide general health information to the public, not medical advice to individuals. If you are interested in an Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck) procedure, please contact us at our Manhattan plastic surgery office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Zevon. |