The advantage of the CombiTuck procedure is that it uses advanced liposuction or laser liposuction to free up the fat and skin prior to the tummy tuck portion. It was created to allow a tummy tuck to be performed with less risk and downtime, as well as make the person thinner after the surgery than a regular tummy tuck. The process allows what is known as a “sliding flap”, where the tissues can be re-positioned with much less cutting and trauma. This results in less bleeding, less interruption of the lymphatics, so there’s less bruising, less need for drains, and less complications. Additionally, with less cutting, the sliding flap procedure leaves more blood vessels intact, allowing for faster healing, and less problems with the wound.

There needs to be a reasonable layer of fat to perform this surgery. Someone who is very thin will need a more traditional tummy tuck. The good news, however, is that techniques we have learned by performing the CombiTuck procedure can be applied to the regular tummy tuck to shorten downtime and reduce risk. In some cases, a combination of the two surgeries is used.

In the majority of cases, women in particular, the muscle has lost its tone and is repaired with either type of tummy tuck. Hernias can be repaired at the same time as well with either surgery.

We use a combination of IV sedation, or “twilight anesthesia” and a diluted local anesthetic (tumescent anesthesia). This combination is by far the safest way to approach this surgery.

The vast majority of patients are back to work in 7-10 days and exercising in 2-3 weeks.

Most of the time, a drain is not needed. The doctor will decide during surgery, but about 90% of the time, no drain is required.

The scar for the CombiTuck procedure or the tummy tuck are about the same. A full tummy tuck or CombiTuck procedure has a scar in the underwear line, as well as around the belly button.

No! this is an outpatient procedure. You should have dinner at the kitchen table at home the night of surgery and push yourself to be as active as possible right after surgery. This speeds recovery.

A mini CombiTuck procedure or tummy tuck is not used very often. It is for unique cases where there is just a small pouch of fat at the bottom of the stomach.

If your stretch marks are mostly below your belly button, then they will likely be gone.