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The traditional abdominoplasty procedures (full tummy tuck, mini-tummy tuck and dermolipectomy) are
associated with a relatively high complication rate because of the required large undermining of the
anterior abdominal flap that involves extensive trauma and compromise to the blood supply of the
abdominal flap. General anesthesia or heavy twilight sedation is frequently required to complete the
surgery because of the extensive tissue dissection and manipulation.
Complete Healthcare for Women, Inc. (CHW) has adopted a revolutionary minimally invasive approach
to tummy tuck that can be safely and effectively perform as an office procedure totally under local
tumescent anesthesia. The technique called Abdominolipoplasty combines two procedures: liposuction of the
abdomen and the tummy tuck. By avoiding the use of general anesthesia or heavy sedation (and complications
associated with this type of anesthesia) this new procedure offers an improved postoperative recovery.
In the past, traditional teaching held that performing abdominal liposuction at the same time of tummy
tuck would further disrupt the blood supply, creating a significantly greater risk of necrosis of the
inferior end of the flap.
Recent studies had clearly demonstrated that such a belief was erroneous. It is well established now that
when one performs limited liposuction, the blood vessels remain intact and functional even though the fat
is removed. The removal of the fat by liposuction leaves essentially an empty space eliminating the need
to undermine. Because the skin overlying this empty space remains extremely mobile, we can remove as much
skin, or more, as with a standard tummy tuck without the danger of losing blood supply.
Belly Button Management
The management of the belly button is identical in both procedures. The skin incisions and the amount of skin
removed are also similar. The tightening of the muscles also can be performed with either procedure. However,
with the technique used by CHW the amount of fat one can remove is greater,
improving abdominal contour by thinning the fat layer considerably more than one can with the traditional tummy
tuck while decreasing the risks of skin necrosis because the blood supply remains intact. CHW's approach doesn’t
require the routine use of suction drains - a standard requirement in traditional tummy tuck.
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Performing the procedure totally under local tumescent
anesthesia adds additional benefits over the traditional
tummy tuck |
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Minimal bleeding due to the vasoconstriction created by the tumescent anesthesia. Traditional tummy tuck
can be associated with profuse bleeding and even the need for blood transfusions and requires meticulous
hemostasis throughout the procedure using electrocautery (which by itself creates blood vessel and tissue
heat damage).
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The patient is wide awake and can ambulate, eat and drink during the surgery. That is virtually unheard of with
standard tummy tuck. Following liposuction and before the tummy tuck, the patient is inspected in a standing position to
draw the shape and size of the skin to be removed. This step eliminates guessing and improves the odds to achieve a body
shape, contour line and a symmetrical skin incision. When the surgery is performed under general anesthesia or heavy
sedation, the patient must stay lying down throughout the surgery which forces the surgeon to guess the shape and size of
the skin removal.
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The operating time is significantly reduced because no bleeding is involved.
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The technique eliminates puckers of skin on either end of the scar (dog ears) because liposuction allows the creation
of similar fat thickness in the superior and inferior borders of the flap.
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The postoperative period is similar as in the standard liposuction of the abdomen. The patient is able to stand up
from the operating table, ambulate and dress herself/himself at the end of the procedure. This recovery is virtually unheard
of with a standard tummy tuck under general anesthesia or heavy sedation. Due to its long lasting effects, tumescent
anesthesia offers a minimum of 12 hours pain control following the surgery.
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In CHW's hands the abdominoplasty totally under local tumescent anesthesia without undermining results in a shorter a
more aesthetic looking scar when compared with the scar from traditional tummy tuck.
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This new approach creates a more youthful abdominal silhouette and more harmonious results while avoiding complications
and the prolonged recovery time associated with the traditional tummy tuck.
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(614) 882-4343
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