Tummy Tuck and Hernia Repair

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have an umbilical hernia and have been told that a general surgeon would be needed for this procedure. In addition to needing a mesh piece placed in the hernia, I would like the resulting belly button to be aesthetically pleasing. I also have a c-section scar with some loose abdominal skin. Can you address all my concerns during a single procedure without an additional general surgeon in the OR at the same time?

A: What you are specifically asking is to have a tummy tuck done with an umbilical hernia repair at the same time. This is not a rare situation for a plastic surgeon to encounter and manage. During an open tummy tuck procedure most umbilical hernias are repaired by using your own natural tissue through midline muscle plication. It would be very uncommon for a plastic surgeon to have to resort to the placement of a synthetic mesh for hernia repair during a tummy tuck. The only concern is the fate of the belly button during an open tummy tuck operation. Many umbilical hernias have disrupted the attachment of the belly button to the abdominal wall. During a full tummy tuck the outer connection of the belly button is removed from the surrounding skin. If the umbilical hernia has also separated the base of the belly button, it may not have adequate blood supply to survive afterwards and be lost. So the objective of obtaining a better looking belly button may be a difficult challenge when a full tummy tuck is done with a concomitant umbilical hernia repair. This does not mean that the two should not be done together, as they should, but one has to appreciate the potential implications for the belly button and its postoperative fate.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana