The Convenience of a Drainless Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures today. It can be used to gain a toned and fat-free abdominal area. A tummy tuck is necessary when there are stubborn areas of fat and loose skin that won’t go away with regular exercise and dietary restrictions. Drainless tummy tucks have made the procedure even more common amongst those unhappy with their abdominal appearance.
What is a Drainless Tummy Tuck?
A drainless tummy tuck follows the same procedure as a tummy tuck with a few changes to reduce post-surgery pain and discomfort. This method uses the progressive tension sutures technique. The procedure is relatively the same as a normal abdominoplasty. An incision is made and the excess fat is removed along with the removal or restructuring of weak, abdominal muscles.
The latter part of the surgery is where the changes are made. Traditional liposuction is replaced with ultrasonic liposuction. Instead of placing drainage tubes, the surgeon will carefully place sutures in specific areas. The sutures help the tissues heal over time without the collection of excess fluid, thus eliminating the need for drains.
The need for drains arises from the fact that the surgery leaves a large area that fills up with various liquids, preventing the surrounding tissues from healing. This can result in a lot of pain.
In a typical abdominoplasty, 1-2 drains are connected to the surgical areas and pass through the skin. They gather excess fluid in bulbs at the end of the pipes.
Patients are required to remove the bulbs and clean them out multiple times a day. The tubes are also painful to move around with and increase the chances of infection. In some cases, patients have to deal with the tubes for weeks after the surgery and will have to take antibiotics the entire time. Once the fluid is drained completely, the layers of skin heal and eradicate the extra space.
Drainless vs Normal Tummy Tuck
A drainless tummy tuck can help patients avoid the following problems that are present after a normal tummy tuck:
- Pain at the site of tube insertion.
- Extremely painful tugs of the tube.
- Repeated and uncomfortable maintenance of the tube.
- Leaking drain tubes that cause staining of clothes, sheets, and covers.
- Being extremely cautious while bathing with the tubes in.
- Possible infection of the drain site or due to fluid collection after drain removal
- Major activity restrictions for weeks after the surgery
- Constantly recording drainage to keep an eye out for drainage problems
- Additional post-surgical marks along with additional visits to the doctor
A drainless tummy tuck reduces pain and improves healing time. Moreover, it does not require carefully movements for every step to avoid discomfort. Drains are fragile and removing the need for them is a major improvement.
Contact Our Office
Contact us to learn more about a drainless tummy tuck procedure. When you come in to meet Dr. Robert Lowen, a board-certified plastic surgeon, he will answer any of the questions you have about the procedure and help you become an enhanced you.