Am I A Good Candidate For A Tummy Tuck?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have had 3 C-sections, bowel obstruction surgery, hernia surgery and hysterectomy. I was wondering if getting a tummy tuck would be possible for me and would this be a feasible avenue to take? Also, would I be a viable candidate for the insurance to cover this procedure? Thanks for your assistance.

A: Thank you for your inquiry. It would be impossible for me to say whether you are a good candidate for a tummy tuck based on your complex abdominal surgical history alone. I have seen many patients with similar histories and they all were perfectly good candidates for tummy tuck surgery. So based on your information alone, I would assume until proven otherwise by actually seeing you that you would be a reasonable candidate. One of the very good benefits of a tummy tuck in patients with complex abdominal surgeries is that many of the abdominal scars as well as the loose skin and fat can be removed and traded off into one single horizontal scar placed low on the abdomen. Often, one gets a simultaneous pubic lift as well. Insurance does not cover nor do we attempt to process it for elective cosmetic tummy tucks. While you have a complex abdominal history and likely numerous contour deformities from them, these are still cosmetic and not functional issues.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana