Abdominoplasty, otherwise known as a tummy tuck, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure for both men and women in the United States today. In fact, statistics show that it was the fourth most popular procedure in 2006, with the number of tummy tucks performed exploding by more than 400 percent in the previous decade.
A tummy tuck procedure involves removing excess skin from the abdominal area as well as tightening the underlying muscles. Patients love abdominoplasty for the great aesthetic benefits that are associated with reclaiming a strong, tight core. A 2007 study conducted by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) has found a possible way to make the tummy tuck process even more comfortable for patients.
The study, that was published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in the May/June 2007 issue, demonstrates that although traditionally patients have not been allowed to eat food after surgery by mouth for a while, it may actually be safe and beneficial to let patients start eating normally sooner.
The main risk of eating orally after surgery is nausea and vomiting as these can lead to gagging and retching which can cause tearing of the sutures at the incision line, resulting in poor or slow healing.
To avoid the risk altogether doctors typically withhold food from abdominoplasty patients until they have their first post-surgery bowel activity. Until that point, the patient receives fluids by IV to prevent dehydration and give the necessary nutrients. This requires longer hospital stays than if the patient were allowed to start eating normally soon after surgery.
The research group studied 22 patient records from two different groups. The first group of tummy tuck patients was treated with the traditional method of withholding food until bowel activity while the second group was allowed to start eating regular food immediately after surgery. What the researchers found was that there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of nausea and vomiting.
"This study demonstrates that early feeding of tummy tuck patients may prevent the need for postoperative hospital admission for intravenous hydration-at least in those patients who can maintain adequate hydration with oral intake alone-and allow for faster hospital discharge," said Alan Matarasso, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York, NY, lead author of the study.
While there may be other reasons for admission, routine postoperative admission to prevent dehydration may not be necessary. These findings could change the way we care for our postoperative abdominoplasty patients, improving their comfort and safety, and saving on health care costs.
So, in the future is this study takes hold in the plastic surgery world, patients may be in and out of the hospital much quicker after abdominoplasty, providing for more rest at home and potentially faster recoveries. If you are considering a tummy tuck, you should talk to several different cosmetic surgeons to find out what their policies are on eating after surgery.
If you have to undergo the traditional post-operative surgery you will obviously do just fine as well, but the whole process may be easier and more comfortable if you can eat immediately after your tummy tuck procedure.
A tummy tuck procedure involves removing excess skin from the abdominal area as well as tightening the underlying muscles. Patients love abdominoplasty for the great aesthetic benefits that are associated with reclaiming a strong, tight core. A 2007 study conducted by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) has found a possible way to make the tummy tuck process even more comfortable for patients.
The study, that was published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in the May/June 2007 issue, demonstrates that although traditionally patients have not been allowed to eat food after surgery by mouth for a while, it may actually be safe and beneficial to let patients start eating normally sooner.
The main risk of eating orally after surgery is nausea and vomiting as these can lead to gagging and retching which can cause tearing of the sutures at the incision line, resulting in poor or slow healing.
To avoid the risk altogether doctors typically withhold food from abdominoplasty patients until they have their first post-surgery bowel activity. Until that point, the patient receives fluids by IV to prevent dehydration and give the necessary nutrients. This requires longer hospital stays than if the patient were allowed to start eating normally soon after surgery.
The research group studied 22 patient records from two different groups. The first group of tummy tuck patients was treated with the traditional method of withholding food until bowel activity while the second group was allowed to start eating regular food immediately after surgery. What the researchers found was that there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of nausea and vomiting.
"This study demonstrates that early feeding of tummy tuck patients may prevent the need for postoperative hospital admission for intravenous hydration-at least in those patients who can maintain adequate hydration with oral intake alone-and allow for faster hospital discharge," said Alan Matarasso, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York, NY, lead author of the study.
While there may be other reasons for admission, routine postoperative admission to prevent dehydration may not be necessary. These findings could change the way we care for our postoperative abdominoplasty patients, improving their comfort and safety, and saving on health care costs.
So, in the future is this study takes hold in the plastic surgery world, patients may be in and out of the hospital much quicker after abdominoplasty, providing for more rest at home and potentially faster recoveries. If you are considering a tummy tuck, you should talk to several different cosmetic surgeons to find out what their policies are on eating after surgery.
If you have to undergo the traditional post-operative surgery you will obviously do just fine as well, but the whole process may be easier and more comfortable if you can eat immediately after your tummy tuck procedure.
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