Greetings!

Post op and flying soon? Be careful! Cabin pressure is markedly lower, causing swelling in our veins, often making it harder to put our shoes back on after a flight! Cabin pressure isn't a problem by itself, but dehydration from the dry cabin air, and sitting for hours can put you at risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT or blood clots).

Have a fun and safe summer!

Annette Bricca
Founder - BreastHealthOnline

Quote of the Month Jan(ltlspryt) with "When I was in the 2nd grade I had viral meningitis and when I went back to school I told the teacher I had Gonorrhea. The teacher called my Mom and told her and they had the biggest laugh"

70's TV Trivia - NCGal

May's Summer Picture Contest Winner - TracieC swimming with the dolphins in Jamaica!

Also commonly referred to as a tummy tuck, an abdominoplasty is a surgical procedure that tightens a lax anterior abdominal wall and removes excess abdominal skin. In essence, the surgery flattens the stomach by removing excess fat and skin and pulling together the abdominal muscles. It may be considered either reconstructive or cosmetic in nature.

Generally an abdominoplasty is performed under general anesthesia or a local anesthesia with IV sedation. While under general anesthesia, the patient is totally unconscious. If under local anesthesia, the area being operated on is numbed and the patient is relaxed using a mixture of IV sedatives and memory blocks. If your plastic surgeon is going to perform abdominoplasty under local anesthesia, please make sure to question the reasoning behind his decision. It may be medically necessary in your case or simply a preference of the plastic surgeon.

The surgery lasts between 2 to 5 hours depending on the extent of the procedure. It can be performed as either an inpatient or outpatient procedure at a hospital or surgical center.

Below are different techniques used for abdominoplasty:

Full Abdominoplasty
The most common procedure and is usually what people are having when they refer to having a "tummy tuck." Two incisions are made (from hip to hip and the separation of the navel), excess skin and fat are removed, muscle is tightened, and a new hole for the navel is created.

Partial Abdominoplasty
This less complex procedure is used when the problem area is below the navel. The incision is much shorter, and the navel may not be moved. Skin and excess fat are removed and muscle is tightened.

Liposuction Only
While liposuction may be used in either of the above procedures, there are times when you might be a candidate for a liposuction-only procedure. Incisions are much smaller, and while excess fat is removed, the skin and muscle is left intact.

Please feel free to join us and ask any questions you may have at our Tummy Tuck Support Board and the Tummy Tuck FAQ Board.

Since passage of the "Woman's Health and Cancer Rights Act" in 1998, insurance carriers must provide benefits for a woman's choice of breast reconstruction, and cover procedures on the opposite breast as needed for symmetry. When making your choice, however, remember that all techniques for breast reconstruction are NOT equal. Restoring the female breast using a woman's own tissue has, in our experience, almost always provided a more natural result than implants. The Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap uses the excess skin and fat from the abdomen (tummy tuck incision) to reconstruct a natural breast without destroying essential abdominal wall muscle function like the TRAM flap. The DIEP is a complex procedure not offered in many states, and few surgeons have extensive experience with this procedure.

Dr. J. Craig Merrell, and his colleagues at Plastic Surgery Associates of Tidewater have more than 21 years experience doing successful "state of the art" breast reconstruction. They have used the microsurgical DIEP flap almost exclusively since 2001 with great results. Every woman on the journey from breast cancer to becoming whole again owes it to herself to learn about the benefits of the DIEP flap. Take a minute to visit us to see the difference we can make (www.plasticsurgeonforyou.com).

Swimming after your surgery can be very dangerous and put your health at risk. After surgery, you can have microscopic size open areas that you are not even aware of that can allow bacteria to enter your fresh incision lines. Infection likes to have a warm, moist, dark environment in which to grow. These bacteria can start to grow the instant it enters your body. A wet swimsuit can harbor bacteria too.

Jacuzzis are just as dangerous to your incision lines. Even though the water may be chemically treated in either a swimming pool or jacuzzi, there still can be dangerous bacteria in the water.

Common signs or symptoms of infection can include, redness, warmth, pain, swelling, possibly a yellow or green pus like drainage or a fever. Please be sure to get the okay from your surgeon before you plan on swimming or getting into a jacuzzi.

Please remember that you only get once chance to heal properly!

Understandably, general anesthesia can create a lot of fear and concern; however general anesthesia is very safe. The majority people having anesthesia do not experience serious problems. When you undergo any surgery, it's important to understand what will happen to you before and after your surgery.

Prior to your surgery, you will meet your anesthesiologist, who is specially trained in the medical field of anesthesia. Be sure to express any concerns you might have at this time. It's important to tell your anesthesiologist if you have any medical conditions that they need to be aware of, including any allergies to medications or medical conditions such as heart problems. Be sure to mention any medications you are taking, prescribed as well as over the counter. Also tell your anesthesiologist if you have a tendency to become nauseated or vomit easily. He may be able to give you something to help prevent it. It is also important to tell your anesthesiologist if you are a smoker as this can affect your oxygen level in your blood during and after surgery.

Be sure you do not eat or drink anything after the time you are told to not eat or drink the day before your surgery. You must have an empty stomach to prevent vomiting during surgery. If you take any prescription medications, ask your doctor about them before proceeding. Your doctor will decide for you before surgery if you will need to take your medications or not.

Before surgery, your anesthesiologist may give you something to help you relax. When you are wheeled into surgery, you will be placed on monitors to keep track of your heart rate & vital signs. Electrodes will be placed on your upper chest area & lower waist area to monitor your heart rate and rhythm. You will have a blood pressure cuff on your arm to monitor your blood pressure and an oxygen sensor place on your finger to monitor your oxygen level of your blood. Your vital signs are closely monitored and recorded every few minutes by the anesthesiologist during your entire surgery.

After you are placed on the monitors, you will be put to "sleep" for your surgery. While you are "under", you may be intubated. This is the breathing tube that is attached to a ventilator that will breathe for you.

When your surgery is done, you will have your anesthesia drugs reversed, which means the anesthesiologist will awaken you from your drug induced sleep. Then you'll be taken to a recovery room where you will be closely monitored as you recover from your surgery. Your vital signs will still be monitored & the post-surgery staff will frequently check on you to be sure you awaken fully. You will be kept comfortable so you won't have as much post-op discomfort. If you are nauseated, you may be given something for the nausea, too.

Before leaving, you must meet the criteria for leaving the recovery area. This includes vital signs being stable, normal oxygen levels, the ability to keep ice chips or fluids down and regular urination before being discharged home or to your hospital room.

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