An extended tummy tuck or extended abdominoplasty differs with the usual procedure because it answers to the problem in patients with large amounts of weight and excess skin.
There are only slight differences in the approach and purpose of the two but it creates significant results.
For those people who tend to have more abdominal fats that a a typical tummy tuck cannot correct, a more radical measure is to use an extended approach. This will create a more desirable result which is appropriate for the particular body type of the person.
In a regular tummy tuck the incisions run through each pelvic bone and carefully fashioned near the bikini line. An extended tummy tuck requires longer incisions to address the problem on excess skin and fats involved. This can properly remove the extra skin with better aesthetics, while at the same time it also fixes soft tissue laxity.
The incisions made in an extended tummy tuck usually spans around 3-5 inches longer on both sides or about a palm’s width beyond the hipbone.
In this procedure the skin is separated from the muscles all the way up to the ribcage, and then stretched downwards as the excess is trimmed away. This prevents what is referred to as “dog ears” which results out of the residual skin that droops out of the incisions. This can also be done even after a first procedure to correct this kind of problem.
The usual patients for an extended tummy tuck are those carrying 75 pounds. But a thorough evaluation would have to be done first before any particular approach is decided on.
But for those who have too much skin which an extended tummy tuck would be limited to repair, a circumferential tummy tuck or low body lift can be used. The scarring involved in this type of procedure goes all the way around the waste to fix the laxity along this area.
The recovery process would take much longer. Some surgeons would suggest an overnight stay and discharge you with compression garment over the abdomen. This will help in controlling the swelling and to promote muscle repair and better contouring. For this case the garment would have to be worn for at least 6 weeks due to the extent of coverage.
The results can affect not only the abdomen but it also reaches up to the flank region. However it does very little to improve the buttocks and thigh regions, but a circumferential tummy tuck can. A low body lift can haul up the waist, lateral thighs, pubic area and the buttocks.
Because an extended tummy tuck is more invasive in nature, it is expected to have higher risk for complications. This includes infection, blood clots, and bleeding. But another concern that most patients have is the large scarring that could result. This should be discuss more extensively with your surgeon to ensure satisfactory results.
An extended tummy tuck is expected to cost more than the usual procedure which often runs around $7000. But this will depend on the location of the clinic the expertise of the doctor, and the particular case of the patient.
