Implants and a Tummy Tuck with Only One Scar and No Pain

Women interested in a mommy makeover procedure may have some of that interest hampered by the fact that there will be scars; one for the tummy tuck and two for the breast augmentation. Dr. Richard Zienowicz, a board certified plastic surgeon from Providence, has an answer for these concerned women: only one scar, hidden away! By performing a Trans Abdominal Breast Augmentation procedure, Dr. Zienowicz is able to augment breasts without any scars in the same operation as a tummy tuck. Backed by a powerful new pain-blocking drug, he can perform the entire procedure and have his patient enjoy a nearly pain-free recovery.

By Richard Zienowicz, MD and Daniel Del Vecchio, MD
and Adam McMillon
ThePlasticSurgeryChannel.com

Getting to Know TABA

Trans Abdominal Breast Augmentation is a mouthful, but a pretty easy procedure to visualize. When a patient decides to have a mommy makeover, the surgeon can opt to place the implants in through the open abdomen instead of making a separate incision on the chest. Typically, breast augmentation involves small incisions below each breast. While they are generally faint and easy to cover up, there is indeed a scar there. With TABA, the implants are placed underneath the skin, an option only available if the patient is simultaneously undergoing a tummy tuck. Such a scenario is very common for women receiving a mommy makeover.

“She’s got loose skin, stretch marks on the abdomen and has lost some breast volume,” says Dr. Zienowicz, examining the before picture of his patient. “What we can do is offer her something that’s only available when you do a tummy tuck, and that is TABA. We start by making our incision very low in the abdomen, so that the scar is hidden. We undermine the abdominal wall and introduce the implants underneath the skin, leaving no scars on the breasts themselves.”

Essentially, a surgeon performing a TABA begins with a tummy tuck, pauses halfway through to insert the breast implants without any more incisions, then finishes the tummy tuck. All in one procedure, one incision, and one scar.

The #1 Drawback to a Tummy Tuck: The Pain

A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, could be argued to be one of the most change-producing procedures offered by plastic surgeons. Just like a bad or disfigured nose, there is nothing you can do on your own to correct stretched muscles in the abdomen. The results are enough to instantly convince would-be patients except for one downside: the pain. Removing skin and stitching together stretched muscles produces a lot of discomfort for recovering patients. Dr. Zienowicz is aware of the discomfort, but also of a new medication making the downside irrelevant. “For years it’s been a problem because the discomfort is so high that we had to rely heavily on narcotics,” says Zienowicz. “Fortunately, I’ve been turned on to Exparel.”

The wonder drug is nothing revolutionary; it’s chemical composition is very similar to that of the numbing medication used at the dentist. The difference is how long it lasts. “Exparel is basically a long-acting novacaine that lasts 72 hours,” says Dr. Del Vecchio. “Our patients can go home the same day and have those three days to heal without discomfort.”

The majority of surgeons agree that 72 hours is the time most needed for the body to recover; by the time those 3 days are up, patients are well on there way to recovery. With TABA and Exparel, modern technology and surgical efficiency combine to give patients the best results with the least amount of pain and scars.