Abdomen Questions and Answers

Question:

Hello! My name is Keri Rex. For the past year and a half, I haved live with a deep pain in my lower left abdomen. The pain gets much worse while my newlywed husband and I try to have sexual intercourse. I have been to many doctors and am all cried out with little hope!! I've tried many different birth control pills, pychiatric help, laprosocy, and much more to NO AvaiL! I'm getting desperate and the pain just will not go away even wiith powerful pain killers. PLEASE HELP ME!!! Thank you!!! One doctor said that it maybe pelvic congestion syndrome and that is the best answer I have as yet, but no one will do anything about it. PLEASE HELP ME_ REFER ME to someone i can trust and knows a LOT about this and who can do surgery to correct the problem.

Answer:

There is an excellent Sexual Medicine clinic at UCLA here in Los Angeles. I would recommend that you arrange a consult with them as this seems to be a very complicated case.

Question:

I'm 4'11' and about 115 pounds. I had one child seven years ago. Due to the pregnancy my abdomanal area really got stretched out.I now have loose skin and a lot of stretch marks.I work out regularly and eat well.I've used firming lotions, vitamin E oil,cocoa butter cream, and stretchaway cream. nothing has worked. My self esteem is very low because of this. Please let me know what I can I do, or have done and how much it will cost. Thank you.

Answer:

Dear Leah, About your only solution would be a tummy tuck with repair of the abdominal wall muscle. The cost would be about $5000 to $7000. This would rid you of most of your upper abdominal stretch marks although you may still have some on your lower abdomen after the procedure.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I had liposuction done on lower abdomen on: 12/9/01. I have retained lots of fluid in lower abdomen since then. The doctor has drained the fluid (5) times and I'm still retaining fluid. She gave me water pills (Lasix)to help eliminate the fluid and I'm still retaining fluid. Why? and What should be done?

Answer 1:

Mary, You probably have what is called a seroma, which is pretty common in the lower abdomen. Your doctor is doing the right thing by repeatedly draining it. I have seen this take many weeks to stop, and still end up with a fine result. It seems to me that you just need to keep seeing your surgeon for as long as it takes.

Answer 2:

Dear Mary, You have a seroma which continues to accumulate fluid in the potential space that was made with the liposuction. You should not take lasix as this will not help the problem. A small drain may be necessary in order to collapse the space so that it will not reaccumulate. The other option is to continue with the draining but the amount drained should decrease with time rather quickly.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I have had two liposuctions of the abdomen areas, the first on Jan.31, and most recent on Oct. 24. I have some scar tissue buildup from the first surgery, and am battling it now from the second. Although I am going for twice-weekly half-hour massages of the area and trying to pinch it and break it up myself, is there anything else I can do? If there is a "pad" of scar tissue left in the lower abdomen area, can it be removed in any way? Are there any tools or massagers I could use to help?

Answer 1:

Oct. 24 is still quite recent, and the "pad" may still go away. If not it can certainly be removed surgically. David M. Metzner, MD

Answer 2:

Dear Keli, The scarring from liposuction is usually very minimal. Pressure and massage help but will not break it down completely. Are you and your physician certain that there was no hematoma or blood build-up at the time of the procedure? This should be handled in a different way.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

you mentioned ways to lengthen the flacid penis.. what are they?

Answer:

What is actually done is that the ligament that holds the penis close to the abdomen are partially released so that the organ hangs lower and further away from the body. Although it varies by individual, as much as one to two inches in length can be gained in this manner. Often, if needed, liposuction of the lower abdomen is also performed which gives the impression of additional length.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

hi! I am 19 years old and am interested in having a tummy tuck. I had a baby at 17 and I gained 60lbs.The stretch marks are severe and even with exercise the skin is still very loose.I'd like to know exactly what the procedure would involve to remove the loose flesh/stretch marks and what the estimated cost would be.I have only found one doctor in my area (L.Caines from Halifax)that does the procedure but have not contacted him yet.

Answer:

Dear Sarah, I trained in Halifax and, unfortunately, Dr. Caines died about two years ago. There are other competent plastic surgeons in the area who can perform an abdominoplasty. What is done is that an incision is made and the skin and soft tissue of the abdomen is raised up to the level of your rib cage. The muscles of your abdomen are then tightened and then the excess skin is removed. A new belly button is made and everything is then closed. Often there is some associated liposuction if needed or desired. The cost varies but is usually somewhere between $4000 and $8000 U.S.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I am an attractive 30 yr. old woman but after 3 c-sections my lower abdomen is poochy and beginning to sag. Would liposuction work on this or would I need to get a tummy tuck?

Answer 1:

Ms. Paxton, Your question is one that can only be answered by consultating with a Plastic Surgeon. The purpose of the consultation is to examine you, listen to your goals, and to discuss your options emphasizing the benefits and limitations of each. With liposuction fat is removed, with no benefit to skin or muscular support. Tummy tuck tightens skin and muscles, too. I suggest you make an appointment with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. David M. Metzner, M.D. 504.885.9555 985.892.4675

Answer 2:

Dear Dawn, It sounds as though their is excessive skin and muscle laxity which liposuction will not help. A full or mini-abdominoplasty would be the best procedure for you depending upon skin excess.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

hi, i'm a 31 yr. old female and had liposuction twice on my abdomen, i'm 5'3 and 110 pd. 80%of my body fat seem to be in my stomach, my first lipo i wasn't satisfied because the moment i ate food i got fat bulges coming out on my sides and lower ab, so my doc. redid it, it seems to me that he took out pretty much all the fat out, but my waist is still fatty feeling, it seems like i have fat rolls, but i think that maybe it could be excess skin,when i tighten my abs it goes pretty flat but my skin feels and looks like an old lady's skin, kind of like "chicken skin" very loose but the rest of my body my skin is very tight, but the first time he did my lipo my skin was firm, do you think that maybe he took out too much fat?.. do you recommend a tummy tuck for this, i don't want to do lipo again, and if you do recommend a tummy tuck how is the scar situation for this and also what if i decide to get pregnant will that put me back to square one or worse with stretch marks, please help..thanks

Answer:

Dear Rachel, The skin can only contract so much after liposuction surgery. If there was too much fat removed and your skin could not contract fully after its removal, you have excess skin. You do not say when the second liposuction was performed but, given that it was several months ago, you likely have skin excess. The only way of dealing with this is by some sort of tummy tuck, with a larger scar being necessary for the more skin that needs to be removed. If you are going to have children I would suggest that you wait until after pregnancy or else you will likely need to have the procedure repeated in the future.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I have had a colposcopy, cervical and endometrial biopsy, pelvic ultrasounds, and blood tests, All have came back normal. However, I still experience severe pelvic pain 2 weeks before my period, throughotu my period, and after my period. I currently have an IUD. My periods are irregular. THe last one started 2 weeks early. I have had a history of abnormal papsmears. Could I have endometriosis? What tests can be performed to determine what is wrong? I am tired of the pain. My doctor only prescribes Motrin. I am fatigued and irritable, the pain is sharp and all over my abdomen, reaching into my lower back. What can I ask my DR. to do for me?

Answer:

I would consider removing your IUD to see if that helps.

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