Surgery Tucks Tummy and Addresses Post-Pregnancy Bladder Issues

Pregnancy changes and reshapes a woman’s body in more ways than one, but with a new double procedure performed at the California Pacific Medical Center, it seems that two unfortunate effects of pregnancy can be treated at once.
Many women who have had children will find themselves suffering from embarrassing bladder problems, as well as loose abdominal skin. Bladder issues are caused by stretching of the abdominal muscles, and according to the anonymous patient interviewed by ABC News, they can mean serious lifestyle issues: “Every day to have to wear these thick pads so that you stay dry. Going down the steps, picking up your child from the car seat, a little bit of exertion you get wet.”

Skin stretched out during pregnancy often fails to fully recover once the baby is born, so that women are left with loose skin that makes it difficult for them to wear certain clothes, such as jeans or crop tops.

The patient decided that she wanted both of these issues resolved. Surgery to resolve the bladder problem, which involved the use of a pelvic sling procedure, was considered to be medically necessary so that the patient would stop experiencing leakage during physical activity. The tummy tuck procedure was cosmetic, intended to restore the appearance of the patient’s midriff.

For the double procedure, plastic surgeon Carolyn Chang teamed up with OBGYN Alexandra Haessler, so that one could immediately step in when the other was finished. After the half-hour pelvic sling procedure was finished, Dr. Chang spent several hours performing a tummy tuck, which involved some liposuction and removing the excess skin.

There were a number of financial benefits to the patient by combining these surgeries, for although the tummy tuck wasn’t covered by insurance, the cost of the anesthesia and recovery room could be covered under the insurance that paid for the pelvic sling. The patient had a single recovery time and could rest assured in the knowledge that her medical and aesthetic problems had both been solved.