fat necrosis after tummy tuck

[ksuds]

I am 6 weeks post-op after full tummy tuck with muscle repair.  At 4 weeks PO a hole developed along my incision line.  My surgeon's nurse had me pack it with gauze/saline twice a day.  At 5 weeks a second smaller hole started. I saw the surgeon at 6 weeks (3 days ago) & he was quite surprised at what he saw.  I have never smoked, no diabetes & not overweight.  In his office/exam room he numbed my stomach & debrided the wounds, which he told me was right down to the muscle.  He told me it was fat necrosis.  He then stitched up the holes.  He told me there was a 50% chance that it will work, but it may re-open.  Does this sound accurate?  How long will it be before I will know if it worked?  Can the necrosis spread?  Between the two holes that were stitched the skin looks red & puffy & there is one tiny spot where some fluid was coming out this morning.  I am not scheduled to see him again for a week & am supposed to return to work tomorrow.  Can you offer your opinion on this?  I feel like this will never end.

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

Not having seen or performed your procedure, it is difficult to assess what form of injury to the tissues would have produced fat necrosis at this stage.  This is an unusual complication for an abdominoplasty, unless it is related to a reaction to deep dissolvable sutures placed at the time of surgery.  If the wound does not seem to be healing properly, be sure to have your surgeon re-evaluate it before your one week appointment.