Tummy Tuck Risks

Having any major invasive surgery is dangerous and not without risks. Things can go wrong during surgery as well as after. More Complications and Risks Information.

What are the complications associated with surgery?

Complications may include anesthesia reactions, aspiration pneumonia, bleeding, blood clots , delayed wound healing , infection, unfavorable drug reactions and more.

How safe is a tummy tuck?

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), it was one of the top five surgical procedures cosmetic procedures in 2005 with 169,314 procedures performed, up 12 percent from 2004. No surgery is without risk. Ask your surgeon to explain all of the side effects and possible risks prior to surgery.

What are the dangers?

Dangers include Death, Lung problems, Anesthesia reactions/Bad reaction to anesthesia, Blood clots, Infection, Delayed wound healing, Unfavorable drug reactions, Skin tissue death (necrosis), Bleeding, Aspiration pneumonia, Unplanned hospital admission, Collection of blood under the skin, Poor healing and excess scarring, Permanent numbness of the abdomen.

How many people die from surgery?

After having searched for over two hours I could not find definitive answers to these questions. What I did find is as follows: “The greatest risk for people undergoing elective surgery derives from the anesthesia, which is estimated to kill 1 in 10,000 to 100,000 people. “Perfectly well patients die under anesthesia for reasons unknown” “According to ABC News, 200 people die every year from plastic surgery complications” “My surgeon told me that approx. one in 5000 people die from going under anesthesia.

Is it safe to have it performed in the doctor’s office?

Generally it is safe to have one performed in the plastic surgeon’s office (not really in his office but rather the operating room (OR) in his office facility). You can increase your safety and peace of mind by..

  1. Making sure the doctor is a board certified cosmetic plastic surgeon who specializes in tummy tuck cosmetic surgery.
  2. Checking out the doctor’s history and experience.
  3. Checking out the operating facility to make sure it is an accredited facility that has the correct people and equipment to handle any emergency that may arise. (This is the big advantage that having a tummy tuck performed in a hospital has rather than at the surgeon’s facility. If something really goes wrong and the plastic surgeon can’t handle it, they may have to transport you to a hospital for emergency treatment. Precious time can be wasted.)