How risky is a tummy tuck?

Every operation has risks, and the useful answer to how risky a tummy tuck is lies in the list, not in a single label. This is a deciding-stage question, and it is better to read the list now than to meet it for the first time in recovery.

The risks, as the specialists list them

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists these tummy tuck risks: anesthesia risks, asymmetry, bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, cardiac and pulmonary complications, fatty tissue found deep in the skin that might die (fat necrosis), fluid accumulation (seroma), infection, numbness or other changes in skin sensation, persistent pain, poor wound healing, possibility of revisional surgery, recurrent looseness of skin, skin discoloration or prolonged swelling, skin loss, a suboptimal aesthetic result and unfavorable scarring.

That is a long list. If a consultation skips it, ask for it.

How to read the list

Several entries, such as numbness, persistent pain, poor wound healing and prolonged swelling, are things you would notice in recovery rather than on the day of surgery. The list therefore reaches past the operation into the weeks after it.

The warning sign that changes the answer

Two entries on the list deserve a plan in advance: infection and deep vein thrombosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains venous thromboembolism, or blood clots, and it is worth knowing the signs before you are in a recovery bed. If you notice anything on the list after surgery, call the surgical team early.

The question that usually follows

The next question is usually how the procedure is done and what the recovery asks of you. The Aesthetic Society has a page on tummy tuck surgery, and Wikipedia carries a general entry on abdominoplasty. Read them beside the list above, and bring your questions to a consultation.