One of the most common complaints patients have after a tummy tuck is the need to look after surgical drains for up to two weeks after the surgery. After a traditional abdominoplasty, drains collect blood and other fluids from the abdominal area for up to 2 weeks to prevent the risk of a seroma, or a collection of fluid under the skin. But with the revolutionary drain free tummy tucks as used by Dr. Jugenburg, invasive surgical drains that require daily care and emptying can be avoided altogether.
Using innovative surgical technique, Dr. Jugenburg has created a drain free alternative to traditional tummy tucks that results in less fluid formation (and thus no need for drains), better hidden scar, lower positioned scar, and lower risk of infection. The results of this procedure are a slimmer, stronger abdominal area that is free of excess skin and fat. If you have struggled to remove excess fat and loose skin from your abdomen, and diet and exercise has not helped as much as you would like, choosing a drain free tummy tuck with Dr. Jugenburg is the best way to create the stomach profile that you have always dreamed about.
Many of our patients opt for a drain free tummy tuck over traditional abdominoplasty for reasons that include:
Drain free abdominoplasty effectively removes excess fat and skin but it cannot be used as a weight loss device. Diet and exercise, or lap band surgery, should be the first consideration for patients who wish to lose weight. For patients who have already lost weight and still have excess skin and fat that cannot be removed with exercise, drain free abdominoplasty with Dr. Jugenburg could be an effective solution.
If you are considering tummy tuck surgery but are unsure whether use of surgical drains or a drain free tummy tuck is best for you, we would love to invite you into our private clinic for a consultation. During this meeting, you can discuss your reasons for wanting abdominoplasty as well as your expectations for results and recovery in order to determine your suitability as a candidate. You will also have the opportunity to view our state of the art facilities and meet our friendly and experienced staff at this time.
Are you unhappy with the excess fat and skin in your abdominal area? Have you reached your target weight loss goal but still have excess skin that won’t tighten with exercise? If you answered yes to either of these questions a drain free tummy tuck could be for you. Women who wish to have this surgery should be in reasonably good shape with a BMI of under 35, and this can be determined during a medical check in your consultation.
If you have a large belly that feels full and tight, if you are unable to grab and pinch with your hands excess skin on your abdomen, you may not be ready for a drain free tummy tuck. Patients who are still significantly overweight need to loose weight first before being a good tummy tuck candidate. Patients, who are skinny and want a tighter belly, but who do not have sufficient excess skin (which can be grabbed and held in your hands, not just pinched with your fingers) may not be good tummy tuck candidates, either.
Prior to surgery you may have to stop taking certain kinds of medication, and you should also stop smoking at least 2 weeks prior to surgery in order to promote a fast and healthy recovery. Avoid taking blood thinners such as Aspirin, Advil, Omega 3, Fish Oil, and any other herbal medications for two weeks prior to surgery to lower your risk of bleeding and bruising.
Once you are under general anesthesia, Dr. Jugenburg will make an incision around the pubic hairline and remove excess fat and skin in your abdominal area. When traditional abdominoplasty is performed, a space between fat and muscle remains where excess fluid gathers and is drained. Sutures are used only to bring the skin edges together. In a drain free tummy tuck, Dr. Jugenburg uses special sutures to close of the entire abdominal area, completely eliminating the need for surgical drains and taking the tension off the skin closure (which is why your scars are so much nicer after a drain free tummy tuck). The whole process should take 1 to 3 hours, depending how lean you are.
The recovery process is much the same as a traditional tummy tuck, except you do not need to care for drains and you do not need to worry about an infection around the drain site. You will be required to apply a compression binder to the abdominal area for 6 weeks following surgery in order to protect the muscle repair (for patients that do not require muscle repair, the binder is worn only for 2 weeks). You will be able to return to an office based work after 1 week, but you should avoid any strenuous physical activity for around 6 weeks in order to promote a healthy recovery. If your work involves physical activity, you can go back on modified duties for 6 weeks.
All patients undergoing Drain-Free Tummy Tuck surgery at our Royal York Hotel surgical facility will initially recover in our Recovery Room and then are transferred to one of our Hotel rooms for an overnight stay. The following morning our nurses will visit you in your room to check on you before you are able to go home. Subsequent visits to our clinic take place at 1 week, 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after the surgery. Initial visits are with our nurses who look after your dressings, and subsequent visits will be with Dr. Jugenburg.
Scarring is one of the concerns of women who opt for tummy tucks, but drain free tummy tucks actually result is less prominent scars than traditional tummy tucks. You will have a very thin and faint scar on your pubic hairline where the surgical incision is made. Remember that your scars are very obvious immediately after surgery and then fade over time. It takes 3 months for the scars to ‘look good’ and a fully year for scars to mature and settle.
As with all cosmetic surgeries, there are some risks associated with drain free tummy tucks. There is a small risk of bleeding, infection, and seromas. Although there are some risks involved, this procedure has fewer complications than ordinary tummy tucks, with a lower risk of infection and seromas. Our private clinic is equipped with state of the art equipment to ensure the most advanced surgical practices that minimize risk for our patients.
Dr. Jugenburg goes to great lengths to ensure your procedure will be performed in a safe manner. This starts with a thorough pre-surgical assessment, detailed planning, meticulous surgical technique and ends with careful post-surgical care. Our facility and safety protocols are designed to comply with College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Outpatient Surgery Facility guidelines.
$6500 (mini) or $8500+ (full)
(additional liposuction: $1500-2000 per additional area to be liposuctioned)
