Abdomen Questions and Answers

Question:

I had Lap RNY gastric bypass surgery 6/24/01. I am loosing weight at a steady gradual pace. I already have redundant skin from past dieting. I have hanging skin on my breasts,abdomen,upper arms and upper legs. When I attain my weight loss goal, I wish to speak with and meet a board certified plastic surgeon who will evaluate me and remove the redundant skin on my ever shrinking body. I am a registered nurse and I fully understand the risks involved. I desire a surgeon who will work with me to achieve a "normal" physical appearance. Thank you, Susan M. Stitt RN

Answer 1:

Dear Susan, It is important that you see a plastic surgeon who has quite a bit of experience with body lifts, as it is not the same as a tummy tuck, for example. Please let me know if you need further assistance Josh Korman, M.D. wwwkormanmd.com

Josh Korman, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Mountain View, CA

Answer 2:

I appreciate your concern. Any sort of body lifting procedure that you are considering should not be attempted until you have reached a "steady state". It may take you up to 6 months to a year for that to occur.

Question:

I am 21 and have always had normal cycles. on6/14/00 I had my normal cycle. On 6/25/00 I started to bleed again. The bleeding started light brown then bright red. It lasted 5 days. Could this have been a period? I am on no meds. Strong pains located in lower right abdomen through all bleeding. TTC for 5 months. m/c 12/01

Answer:

TTC? m/c? I don't know what you mean by this. You need to have a pregnancy test ASAP. If you are not pregnant, it is likely a hormonal issue.

Question:

I didn't see a Dermatology Specialty as an option when I submitted my question, so I picked the one that I thought was closest to it. My name is Cherice, and I am 26 years old. I figured you probably have dealt with women,especially new mothers, who want to get rid of their stretch marks after child birth. I recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl one month and a half ago,and I have looked profusely on the internet for answers to this problem. I have stretch marks on my stomach, buttocks and knees, and I want very badly for them to be gone forever. I can't stand another summer to pass me by unfulfilled because I am too embarassed to wear a swim suit to the beach or pool. They make me feel ashamed when I have sex with my husband of two years. I ordered an expensive product online that was guaranteed to work or they would refund my money. Needless to say, I'm expecting my money back pretty soon. I've also tried a cheaper, over the counter method--cocoa butter. I heard that it blends all unattractive marks and blemishes. I used it throughout the entirety of my pregnancy, but still received the stretch marks. A friend of mine told me that stretch marks are permanent, but I refuse to believe that. I know there has got to be something or some way to solve this problem suffered by so many people. Please help me. I am desperate for solutions, because I've run out of options.

Answer:

The basic problem with stretch marks is that represent permanent scarring of the dermis ( the deep layer of your skin). As with any deep scar, there is no magic cure except for cutting out the stretch marks, which is sometimes practical for the ones on your abdomen ( called atummy tuck); but for the rest, it is impractical.

Josh Korman, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Mountain View, CA

Question:

i would like to know about reducing the size of your stomach. not removing fat.but cutting away part of the stomach.

Answer:

Dear Ann, I take it that you mean stomach "stapling" for weight reduction in which case the above answer is correct. If you mean removing extra skin and fat from your abdomen, you need to visit with a plastic surgeon and obtain information on a tummy tuck or abdominoplasty.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

Hello, I am a 34years old female. I would like to do plastic surgery or liposuction. I do not know the difference of this. Kindly explain this. How much the cost take this surgery. I want to do hip & stomach portion. thanks.

Answer:

Dear Meena, Liposuction is a type of plastic surgery. I think that what you are asking is if you need liposuction or a tummy tuck. The factors which enter into that decision are the amount of fat present, the condition of your skin and the condition of the muscle supporting the abdomen. You should visit with a plastic surgeon in order to determine if liposuction is a good procedure for you or if you need the more extensive surgery. Liposuction costs about $2000 per paired area of the body (like the outer thighs) and a tummy tuck can cost from $4000 to $8000 depending upon what is required to be performed.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

I have always had prolonged menstual bleeding. Over the past year, I have had pap smears continually come back showing atypical cells. Finally, the last two came back normal. At the same time, my OB-GYN expressed concern about my periods lasting 8-12 days each month. This was nothing new to me since my teenage years. (I am now in my late 20's.) My OB-GYN did two vaginal ultrasounds in Oct. and Nov. of last year. He did not find anything abnormal except that it appeared that I only have one ovary (right side). But, since I carried my 2-year-old son to term, he did not feel this was a problem. In January, He went ahead and did a D&C and hysteroscopy just to be sure that there were no uterine problems causing the bleeding, and no problems showed up except that my uterus seems to have a mixture of cells (like a tree that has both buds and dead leaves at the same time). Since December, however, I have been having nausea, bloating, pelvic pressure, and gas almost all the time. Usually this is all worse the week before, during, and after my period. Also, I have a small knot in the lower right half of my abdomen that swells and becomes very sore the week of and after my period. My OB-GYN said it was a lymph node, but my internist does not believe this. My internist has scheduled another vaginal ultrasound for next month. I am worried that I may have some type of female or other disorder that may not be detectable through the tests I have undergone. What types of disorders/problems could this be? Thanks for your time. Callie

Answer:

It sounds like all the right things have been done to this point. I would also recommend either a repeat pelvic sonogram of the pelvis to detect adnexal/ovarian masses and definitively locate the one ovary not seen. It would be difficult to come to a conclusion until this information is available. Good luck

Question:

I recently underwent abdominal surgery, because I was having intense lower abdominal pain. It was first suspected to be appendicitis, but once the surgeon actually got in, he said it was a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst that had ruptured, leaving a pocket of blood in my abdomen. He suctioned that out, and also took out my appendix. I'm 15 years old, and this was my first problem of this sort. I'm wondering if I will be prone to these cysts. Will they be a recurring thing? What can be done to prevent them? Should I know anything else about them? Any answer would be appreciated.

Answer:

It probably won't occur again. If it does, they will be able to observe you as the appendix no longer is present.

Question:

I found out that I don't have gardnerella anymore, but I now have a yeast infection. I am a week late for my period, and I was wondering if this yeast infection could cause me to miss my period. Also, a couple of months ago, I was diagnosed with normal follicle ovarian cysts, which were present during and 2 weeks after my periods. I have been having pain in my abdomen for about a week and a half now, and I'm scheduled to get a transvag done on the 23rd. I was also wondering if the presence of cysts could cause me to miss my period. Please respond as soon as you can. Thank-You, Jennifer Wilson

Answer:

Certain types of cysts can cause missed periods. You need a blood pregnancy test and and examination by a gynecologist.

Question:

I was writing to you about my daughter. She was wanting some information about liposuction... She's only 17 so I wasnt sure if you could perform something like that on teenagers. She's a bit over weight.She's tried diets,excercise,even pills but still cant seem to lose the weight. Can You give me some information about liposuction? And also, Since she's only 17 I will be glad to sign for her if she needs it, Her happiness is all that matters to me. She wanted areas like her abdomen,Buttocks, and thighs liposuctioned. Whats the average cost for all of this? Thank You, Shannon

Answer:

Dear Shannon, Even teenagers can have localized deposits of fat, even if extensive, which are well and permanently treated by liposuction. It should be looked at as a means of contouring those larger areas with her, normal, thinner areas, but should not be looked upon as a means of weight reduction. The areas that you mention are common areas treated by liposuction and the cost is dependent upon the extent of the procedure and how much fat needs to be removed. A ballpark figure is about $2000 per paired area (such as the outer thighs or inner thighs). I hope that this information is helpful to you. If you email me, I can send you a brochure on the procedure.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

Is there a surgery that can completely remove severe stretch marks? If so, where can I get this done?

Answer:

No. In my opinion, there is not yet a laser or any other procedure that allows for complete removal of stretch marks. If they are on the abdomen and a tummy tuck is otherwise needed, many can removed in this manner.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

Question:

How long does liposuction take? Can one do legs, buttocks, and thighs at one time? What is the recovery time after surgery? thank you.

Answer:

Dear Laura, Liposuction generally takes about one hour per paired area done (like outer thighs or abdomen). The areas that you mention are safely done at one time as long as the volume removed is not too great and you are in good general health. Recovery is also based on amount removed. Usually about two weeks should be allowed for full recovery but one week is all needed for most patients.

Gregory Caputy, MD, Chief Surgeon
Honolulu, HI

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