Abdominoplasty

A tummy tuck is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin that often presents an aesthetic and psychological problem for women. This procedure is intended for people with sagging abdominal muscles and skin that cannot regain its normal tone.

At the Bagatin Polyclinic, we require a systematic examination before the procedure to rule out any serious illnesses that could cause complications during or after the procedure. In order to achieve the best results, good communication between the doctor and the patient is key. Doc.dr.sc. Dinko Bagatin will examine you and assess your skin tone, the degree of sagging skin in the abdominal region, and assess excess fat tissue, as well as the condition of your abdominal muscles.

There are several types of abdominoplasty, ranging from the removal of small amounts of loose skin and fat to major procedures where the entire abdominal wall is tightened. Stretch marks can be removed when they are confined to the area of ​​resection and are removed along with the excess skin.

Also, in the case of excess skin, but also excess fat tissue, it is advisable to perform VASERlipo ultrasound liposuction along with the abdominoplasty procedure, which removes unwanted fat deposits from certain areas of the body, such as the abdomen. You can see an example of excellent results after abdominoplasty and VASERlipo ultrasound liposuction here .

Candidates for abdominoplasty are people who have lost a lot of weight and, despite exercise and a proper diet, cannot get rid of loose skin on their stomach. This procedure is also often chosen by women who have gained excess skin on their stomach after pregnancy and who are still present, despite wearing a corset.

There are several reasons why excess skin and subcutaneous tissue or poor skin elasticity on the abdomen can occur, which can only be removed with abdominoplasty:

• Big weight loss
• Pregnancy
• Caesarean section
• Aging
• Natural tendency to accumulate excess weight in the abdomen
• Skin and connective tissue quality

During the consultation, the doctor will talk to the patient about their wishes and expectations, and then assess whether they are a good candidate for this procedure.

In order for the procedure and the postoperative course to go as smoothly as possible, the following is desirable:

• On the day of your consultation with your doctor, prepare for the examination and discuss openly your expectations for the procedure, your medical history, any allergies to medications and food, with special emphasis on the medications you are taking. Your medical history will be included in your medical records.
• Quit smoking four to six weeks before the procedure
• Two weeks before the procedure, stop taking aspirin, herbal preparations or any other supplements and certain medications that prevent inflammation, as their content can cause significant bleeding.
• 12 to 24 hours before the procedure, you should wash the part of your body that will be treated with antibacterial soap. After applying the antibacterial soap, let the lather sit for about ten minutes. Repeat the same process the day before the procedure and in the morning. You should also thoroughly wash your chest, abdominal wall, and upper thighs, and repeat the same process the night and morning before the procedure.
• Do not eat or drink for eight hours before the surgery, remove all jewelry and remove nail polish from your hands and feet.

Abdominoplasty is performed under general anesthesia at the Bagatin Polyclinic and lasts from 4 to 6 hours. You can find out more about the anesthesiology examination at our Polyclinic and the differences between general and local anesthesia here . The incision is made above or within the urogenital area, but this is not always possible. If the skin is looser above the navel, the surgeon may make an incision above the genital area. The length of the incision runs laterally towards the pelvic bones, and this mainly depends on the amount of skin that needs to be removed. If possible, the plastic surgeon will try to make an incision inside the swimsuit line, and another incision around the navel to pull the skin down and remove the excess. To strengthen the abdominal wall, the surgeon uses sutures to connect the loose tissue and the muscle sheath.

After abdominoplasty, the patient remains overnight for observation in a suite at the Bagatin Clinic to ensure that the first postoperative night goes as expected and according to plan.

The first night after surgery, the patient receives intravenous pain medication. In case of nausea, medical staff is available.

After surgery, it is necessary to wear a bandage and corset around the abdomen, and if necessary, a drain is placed on each side of the incision.

It is very important to follow the instructions of the doctor and medical staff so that your recovery goes as smoothly as possible:

• Sleep lying on your back with your legs bent to reduce tension as the abdominal wound heals.
• The day after surgery, or more precisely 24 hours after surgery , it is necessary to do calf exercises to prevent the potential formation of blood clots in the legs. We recommend walking and moving around lightly as soon as possible after surgery to stimulate circulation in the body.
• When discharged from the Bagatin Polyclinic, the patient receives written instructions about home care, taking medications and analgesics, and the date of the next examination.
• In the following weeks of recovery, swimming is prohibited; light exercises are permitted and it is mandatory to wear an abdominal corset for at least three weeks after surgery.
• Seven days after the operation, the patient comes for the first check-up.
• The incision from the surgery will be red or pink. This color will remain for several months after the surgery, but will fade over time.
• The stitches are removed 10 to 21 days after the surgery, which is why it is advisable not to travel for at least 10 days.
• Two weeks after surgery, it is still necessary to avoid straining, bending, and lifting weights to prevent bleeding or swelling.
• During this recovery period, it is advisable to sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees.
• Four weeks after surgery, the swelling and hematoma will decrease, but it will take several months for the swelling to completely disappear, when the results of the abdominoplasty will be best seen.
• Some parts of the abdomen will be numb to sensation, which will take several months for the wound to fully heal.

Like any other procedure, abdominoplasty is associated with certain risks, but at the Bagatin Polyclinic we take all precautions to minimize all possible risks.

It is a complex procedure that requires special technical skills from the surgeon and there is always a possibility of postoperative complications, so it is important that the patient is close to a surgeon who can monitor their condition.