Commonly abdomen surgery is needed when, either after pregnancy or considerable weight loss the skin expands, stretches and is not able to get back to its original position. Sometimes it remains loose and apron-like. It has to be taken into consideration that an operation can be done only about one year after such an event as above because a spontaneous improvement is possible. Also at one’s ageing the tightness of skin may diminish which can be treated by surgery. Besides these, sometimes even the wall of abdomen has loosened, and the abdominal muscles have glided off and some fat has collected under the skin and so causes the loose skin.
The aim of the operation is the tightening of the skin under the navel and at the same time if there is any, the removal of the fat. In the case of essential thickness, or if the fat layer is too big under the navel, we advise a slimming diet. By this way the safer result of the operation is greater. It is possible, but is done more rarely, to make the fat layer thinner by an extraction technique.
This operation is done under general anesthesia after the required tests and ECG have been done. In the course of the operation we make an incision between the hipbones, beneath and, transversely. After the lifting up of the skinny-fat cover from its base, the navel will be cut around, then the cover is pulled to the bow of ribs, and tightened, after the excess part is taken off, the navel is restored.
Around the navel a small hardly noticeable scar and beneath, between the hips a transversely running, longer scar will remain, but this longer one can be hidden by a bikini.
Small tubes are used, during the course of operation, which are drains to lead out the unnecessary body fluids. These are taken out on the 1st day after the operation. The patient stay for 1 night ate our clinic and needs 2-3 weeks rest at home. From this period the first 7-10 days must be spent in bed. During this time, the patient comes to us 3-4 times for the required check ups, and changing the bandages. The seams are taken out in the 2th-3th week. The bandage after the operation for 5-6 days is very tight and is strengthened with an elastic dressing. After this time a special hose, which produce suitable pressure, has to be worn. When the seams are taken out, also after the 3rd-4th week, it is possible to do some light work. Driving is possible, after the 4th day, showering is allowed after the 6th day. It is not advisable, after the seams have been taken off, for 1-3 months long time, to do heavy physical work, gymnastics, aerobics or dancing. After this time every kind of activity can be done.
As after all kind of operation, complications might occur, but these seldom influence the success of the operation. Occasionally a complication might lengthen the after-care time and generate more treatment or checks. Bleeding or inflammation occurs in 3-4% of cases. More rarely the necrosis of fat-layers can happen. In these cases a new operation has to be done. Sometimes an uncomfortable sensation above the scar-line, can be experienced but extremely rarely the loss of sensation. These problems, generally stop spontaneously, don’t need any treatment and after a longer period, after a half a year or more, they will no longer exist. Although the scar is long and at the beginning it could be widened as a consequence of stress, pathological scar, keloid creation occurs only in a few percentage of cases. Of course, if such kind of problem occurs, it will be corrected by a conservative treatment or cuttings.
