Can I Get A Hernia Repair At The Same Time As A Tummy Tuck?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am 29 years old and I have 3 kids. They are all good size and I’m small build so therefore my skin has stretched out bad!!! Also as a result in having kids I have an umbilical hernia. Can that be taken care of as well at the same time as the tummy tuck?

A: It would be very common in tummy tucks and abdominal panniculectomies for a woman to have a concurrent umbilical hernia. The hernia can be repaired at the same time as the tummy tuck procedure and is an ideal time to do given the very open exposure. In some cases there is a risk of loss of the umbilical stalk with the hernia repair dependent on the size of the umbilical hernia.