Rib Removal Surgery

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m interested about rib removal surgery for a smaller waistline. What are the qualifications for this type of body contouring  surgery. mIf I qualify, how long will I stay in the hospital? When can I get back to work? My work requires a lot of standing and some walking. Thanks a lot 🙂

A: Rib removal surgery is best done in patients that have a reasonably thin body frame (not  lot of fat around the waistline) in which the anatomic waistline is not well-defined. It is also important that liposuction of the abdomen and waistline will not help to create the more defined wasitline and that the ‘obstruction’ is caused by the flare of the lower ribcage.

For most patients, rib removal surgery can be performed  as an outpatient if you have someone to take you from the surgery center and be with you. (the procedure is done in a surgery center not a hospital) If not, then it will be an overnight stay. One can return to work when one feels capable. That will vary amongst different people and could be anywhere from 10 days to three weeks for a semi-strenuous type of work. One can not hurt the surgery sites by anything that they physically do.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana