content frame Mini Abdominoplasty

Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Mini-abdominoplasty Marks


After Mini-abdominoplasty	After Mini-abdominoplasty	After Mini-abdominoplasty	Skin (1 lb) Lipo (1500 ml)

The General Purpose of This Operation The basic goal of a mini-abdominoplasty is to perform a standard liposuction of the upper and lower abdomen, the waists and flanks and then to contour the lower abdomen by removing some fat and skin between the belly button and pubic hair. This tightens the loose skin of the lower abdomen. No muscle work is done in a mini-abdominoplasty because the candidates for this surgery must have adequate muscle shape and tone. The belly button is not re-constructed in a mini-abdominoplasty because the dissection of the skin flap only goes up to the level of the belly button, not above it as in a standard abdominoplasty.


The plan for the operation starts by marking the lower skin incision. The incision length is a little variable and must be long enough to have the end of the incision close smoothly. The length of the incision is about 2/3 of the length of a standard abdominoplasty incision.	After the liposuction the skin is dissected up to the level of the belly button and then a second incision is marked at a level that will excise just enough loose skin. No muscle work is done.	The lower abdomen skin is then pulled downward and sutured to the lower incision. This creates a curved scar on the lower abdomen. The length of the scar is variable but is less then in a standard abdominoplasty.

Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Before Mini-abdominoplasty


After Mini-abdominoplasty	After Mini-abdominoplasty

Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Mini-abdominoplasty Marks


After Mini-abdominoplasty	After Mini-abdominoplasty	Skin (0.3 lb) Lipo (550 ml)

The Operation The operation is done as an outpatient procedure at Decatur General Hospital using general anesthesia. It is done in the main operating rooms at Decatur General Hospital and takes just about 2 hours to perform. We do the operation in the morning and you will get discharged to home late in the afternoon or the early evening. You will go home with 1 drainage tube to remove postoperative blood and fluid so it does not accumulate under the abdominal skin. I discharge you from the hospital with a prescription for narcotic pain medication, an antibiotic and a nausea medication. You will be taught how to empty and measure your drain output.

The Operation Along With Gynecology Procedures The mini-abdominoplasty procedure can also be performed at the same operative setting as gynecology procedures. When I do this procedure along with your gynecologist, the morning of surgery I will draw the mini-abdominoplasty marks on you. When you go to sleep in the operating room I discuses the marks with your gynecologist and help mark the incision. When your gynecologist is finished I come into the operating room and do the mini-abdominoplasty. This has the benefit of having you postoperative recovery include both the insurance covered gynecology procedure and the cosmetic mini-abdominoplasty. Therefore, if you have to take time off from work for your gynecology procedure, you can use the time to also recovery from your mini-abdominoplasty procedure.

This Mini-Abdominoplasty Was Performed At The Same Operative Setting As A Hysterectomy
Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Before Mini-abdominoplasty	Mini-abdominoplasty Marks


After Mini-abdominoplasty	After Mini-abdominoplasty	Skin (0.6 lb) Lipo (1000 ml)

Postoperative Discomfort All patients are unique and the response to post-operative discomfort is variable. Most patients have most of the discomfort from the liposuction which feels like bruising. The lower incision can feel like tightness and burning in the lower abdomen. You will feel slightly tight and you will need to walk slightly bent over. Most patients take the narcotic medicine for a week or two and then switch to Tylenol for pain. Some patients take a narcotic medicine for 3 or 4 weeks after the surgery. As I said, patients are all unique and their pain tolerance is very different. Almost all patients feel normal by 3 weeks.

You will wear an abdominal binder for support and to keep light pressure on your abdomen for about 3 or 4 weeks.

Time Off From Work For a desk job that does not require any heavy lifting you should expect to be away from work for 10 to 14 days. Some women have gone back to a desk job in as little a 1 week, even with their drain tubes still in place.

For a job that requires physical exertion or heavy lifting you should expect to be away from work for 2 to 3 weeks. If there are any small healing problems with your abdomen we may keep you off of work for an additional 1 week or consider a light duty for a week if that is available at your job.

Postoperative Visits To The Office You will need to come to the office the 2 days after your surgery and you need to arrange for someone to drive you to this appointment because you will be sore and on narcotic medications. At this first postoperative check I will change your dressings and check your drain tube. Drain removal depends on the drain outputs you record at home. We will remove the drain in about 6 to 10 days from your surgery. Removing the tube pinches a little but is not terribly painful.

After your drain is removed you will go home with a light gauze dressing. You can take a full shower 24 hours after your drain is removed. You will take off your dressings and binder, shower, soapy water will not hurt your incisions, pat yourself dry and replace your binder. No sutures will have to be removed, they are all dissolvable.

Your next appointment will be in approximately 2 weeks. After that I will see you again in approximately 1 month and then in about 2 or 3 months. I will see you at 6 months and 12 months after your surgery and do a final assessment of your size and shape, assess the quality of your scars and get your final opinion on the surgery.

Resuming Normal Activities Generally you can resume all of you normal activities, including physical exertion and exercise after 3 to 4 weeks. This could be delayed slightly if there are any wound healing problems.

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