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As many of you know, Tummy Tuck is an excellent procedure for people who have been left with loose hanging skin, lax stomach muscles and stubborn fat, often after fluctuations in weight, such as with pregnancy. Recently I have introduced a new method of surgery to my practice to improve the safety, results and recovery for my patients having Tummy Tuck. Toronto and Mississauga patients who have undergone this procedure have already experienced an easier and more comfortable post operative period with this new “No Drains” surgery.
Usually during Tummy Tuck, Mississauga and Toronto patients have both loose skin and excess fat removed. What people don’t realize is that the tummy muscles are also tightened and sewn back together during the procedure. This is because time , weight gain, and things like pregnancy cause the “six pack” muscles of the abdomen to stretch and separate. Lastly, the remaining skin is stitched back down over the abdominal muscle wall.
Typically after surgery it is part of the normal healing process for the tissues to produce fluid that tends to accumulate in the space between the skin and the muscle wall. In conventional Tummy Tuck, in order for this fluid to drain, plastic tubes called drains are inserted beneath the skin, and left in place during the intial recovery period, and are then removed several days after surgery.
With the new “ No Drains” procedure, I use of a novel type of suture, called a Quill suture. These sutures have small barbs that firmly stitch down and adhere the overlying skin flap to the abdominal wall. They also are ideal for stitching the muscle back together tighlty and quickly, resulting in a firmer, taughter muscle repair as well as reduced surgical time. This means added safety as complications are fewer when surgery is faster and shorter. It also means no need for drains as there is no longer a potential space between skin and muscle for fluid to accumulate. Patients report improved comfort and mobility after surgery without drains, and of course they don’t have to come in several days later for drain removal!
Tummy Tuck is a great option for people close to their ideal body weight with a localized problematic collection of fat, accompanied by loose skin and muscle that can’t be addressed with diet and exercise. The procedure is often done with some liposuction as well, to achieve a nice smooth result.
Smaller focal areas of fat alone can often be addressed by Liposuction on it’s own , or with the less invasive treatment, Liposonix , which uses high frequency focused ultrasound to reduce fat without any incision.
You can learn more about Tummy Tucks by visiting our website and
viewing the video story of Danielle, a Tummy Tuck and Arm Lift patiient who had lost substantial weight prior to surgery.
You can also read about the personal journey of another tummy tuck/liposouction patient of mine in the January 2011 edition of Elevate Magazine. She was so inspired by her transformation after surgery, she lost another 75 lbs , and looks fantastic!
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