Abdominoplasty: Your Surgical Experience
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The goal of your plastic surgeon and the entire staff is to make your
surgical experience as easy and comfortable for you as possible.
How should I prepare for surgery?
If you are a smoker, you will be asked to stop smoking well in advance of
surgery. Aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs can cause increased
bleeding, so you should avoid taking these medications for a period of time
before surgery. Your surgeon will provide you with additional preoperative
instructions.
Abdominoplasty may be performed on an outpatient basis. If this is the case,
be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery and to stay with
you for at least the next day or two. When abdominoplasty is performed in
conjunction with medically necessary procedures such as hysterectomy or hernia
repair, a short hospitalization may be required.
What will the day of surgery be like?
Your abdominoplasty may be performed in a hospital, free-standing ambulatory
facility or office-based surgical suite.
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure.
Often, a general anesthetic is administered, so that you will be asleep
throughout the procedure. Abdominoplasty may be performed using local anesthesia
and intravenous sedation. When surgery is completed, you will be taken into a
recovery area where you will continue to be closely monitored. In many
instances, small drain tubes will have been placed within the abdominal tissues
to help avoid accumulation of fluids. Gauze or other dressings may be applied to
your abdomen and covered with tape or an elastic bandage.
You may be permitted to go home after a few hours, unless you and your
plastic surgeon have determined that you will stay in the hospital or surgical
facility overnight.
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