Pregnancy and Weight Fluctuations
Most patients coming in for abdominoplasty want to regain the look they did before pregnancies wreaked havoc on their midriff. Others may have had significant fluctuations in their weight. When assessing the abdomen for abdominoplasty surgery you need to look at all three layers; skin, fat and muscle. All three are typically affected by pregnancy and weight fluctuations and all three are addressed with an abdominoplasty. Although weight control and exercise can affect the fat layer, stretched skin or muscles cannot return to where they used to be without surgery.

Achieving Your Goals
Most patients Dr. Murphy has seen for abdominoplasty have worked hard to get their figure back but have come to realize the they have reached a wall with regard to improvement, and surgery can help them to achieve their goals. Abdominoplasties are frequently performed in conjunction with other procedures, including liposuction of the hips and flanks, or even a breast lift or augmentation (solving another problem frequently associated with pregnancy). 

Achieving A Natural Look
Not all tummy-tucks, however, are the same. Look at the female abdomen. Then, take a look at the cover of the fitness magazines. The abdomen is not simply a flat surface with a belly button in the middle. There are subtle undulations and areas of outline. The key to an outstanding abdominoplasty is a thorough understanding of these subtleties and how to achieve them.

Attention to Detail
Through thorough study of the appearance and anatomy of the female abdominal wall, and extensive experience with body sculpting, Dr. Murphy has refined his abdominoplasty technique to restore these subtleties of definition to his patients. The appearance of the umbilicus (belly button) is crucial. While other scars from the abdominoplasty procedure are easily hidden, the umbilicus is frequently in plain view. Dr. Murphy has developed a scarless technique for creation of the new umbilicus that is unmatched in its ability to create a beautiful natural look. Attention to every detail pays off.  Once again, Dr. Murphy incorporates a careful blend of art and science to achieve outstanding results.

The Procedure
The abdominoplasty procedure is usually performed as an outpatient under general or epidural anesthesia. If patients prefer to spend the night, they are easily transferred to Swedish Medical Center for a stay in a private suite. The abdominoplasty operation involves a transverse incision across the lower abdomen, the length of which depends on how much skin needs to be removed. There is usually a small incision around the belly button. This is basically imperceptible.

Recovery
Dr. Murphy does everything he can to control discomfort, including placement of a pain pump which infuses long-acting local anesthetic into the area of surgery over the first few days. A surgical garment is used to support the abdominal wall and decrease swelling for a month or so. This gets patients up and around in the first few days and back to most normal activity within 7-10 days. More vigorous activities and heavier lifting need to be postponed for six weeks or so.

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