ABDOMINAL CONTOURING (Abdominoplasty)
THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD FOLLOWING ABDOMINAL CONTOURING SURGERY
A responsible adult must be available to transfer the patient
following surgery and also be available for the first 48-72 hours
to assist the patient in getting up to the bathroom, taking medications,
and eating and drinking. Small suction drains will almost always
be left behind the skin. A detailed set of instructions will accompany
the patient home and the nursing staff will review all of these
instructions carefully. A nurse from Plastic Surgery Center will
call the evening of surgery to check the patient’s status
and answer questions. If any questions or concerns arise outside
of our normal business hours, our answering service will be able
to contact Dr. Vogt for you.
You will be asked to return to the office for a recheck within
the first 24 hours after surgery
to be certain that there is no fluid buildup behind the skin flaps,
which can potentially cause blood-supply compromise to the abdominal
skin. Follow-up visits will be scheduled upon Dr. Vogt’s
recommendation. Massage and ultrasound to the abdomen is recommended
weekly for 4-6 weeks following surgery. Activity levels, exercising
and weight restrictions will be carefully explained on follow-up
visits. The final healed result may take 3-6 months to be appreciated.
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