Tummy Tuck with Hernia Repair in Northern Virginia?
Written by Mark Domanski, M.D.
We’ve recently had several patients inquiring about tummy tucks who also have hernias, so I wanted to cover the basics.
What is a hernia?
A hernia is a hole in a container. Think of your bathtub: the drain is a kind of hernia. The drain allows water to exit the bathtub. But the drain needs to be closed when you are taking a bath. A hernia is like a drain that has not closed and something can poke out.
The belly button is a common site of a hernia. During fetal development, blood vessels that feed the growing baby enter the baby through a hole in the abdominal wall. This hole is where your belly button is.
After birth, the umbilical cord falls off, and the hole in the abdominal wall is supposed to close – and your belly button is formed.
However, sometimes the hole where the nutrient vessels entered your abdominal cavity does not completely close (or reopens with time). In this case, you may have a belly button that pokes outward or enlarges when you cough. These are common signs of a hernia.
Hernia repair is a common procedure performed…how do I know…I had one fixed myself!
Umbilical Hernia
The most common type of hernia combined with a tummy tuck is an umbilical hernia. Unlike treatment of diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles during pregnancy), treatment of an umbilical hernia is considered medically necessary. Thus, umbilical hernia treatment at the time of an abdominoplasty can be covered by medical insurance. Insurance companies do not consider an abdominoplasty medically necessary. In summary, hernia – covered by insurance; getting snatched – no.
What will insurance cover during a medical-aesthetic combined surgery?
In Northern Virginia, insurance companies will cover the time required to go to sleep (anesthesia start), hernia repair, and wakeup (anesthesia end). They will not cover the anesthesia or operating room time for the cosmetic portion of the case. During a combined hernia repair with a tummy tuck, the plastic surgeon will inform the operating room nurse when aesthetic time starts and ends. The patient will be billed accordingly.
In Northern Virginia, insurance procedures can only be performed in surgery centers that have insurance accreditation. In Northern Virginia, most cosmetic surgery centers do not have insurance accreditation. Thus, in our area, many abdominoplasties combined with umbilical hernia repairs are performed in hospitals.
What if my umbilical hernia is large?
Some umbilical hernias will require a mesh to be placed to re-enforce the weak area in the abdominal wall. Mesh placement is a specialized procedure that sometimes requires a second surgeon, a general surgeon, to place the mesh behind the belly button. Sometimes robotic surgery or laparoscopic surgery will be required to place the mesh retroperitoneally, or behind the muscles of the abdomen.
Recovery after a Tummy Tuck with Hernia Repair
Most patients can go home the same day. Recovery for a tummy tuck is similar with or without a hernia repair. We generally want patients to be walking around and back at work 2 weeks after most surgery. Full recovery may take 6-8 weeks.
Tummy Tuck with Hernia Repair in Northern Virginia
In summary, if you’re considering a tummy tuck with hernia repair in Northern Virginia, it’s important to understand how the process works, including the procedure itself, recovery, and medical coverage. In our region, these combined aesthetic and medical procedures are often performed in hospitals rather than private cosmetic surgery centers, as insurance-based procedures require accredited facilities.
If you’re in Northern Virginia and would like to explore whether this combined approach—a tummy tuck with hernia repair—is right for you, we are here to guide you through every step with clarity and expertise.
Sincerely,
