Tummy tuck is one of the widely requested body contouring procedures that offers a trimmer and better sculpted midsection. Those having a protruding belly or concerns such as sagging skin and muscles after a major weight loss can undergo the procedure to achieve a flat abdomen. While the aesthetic benefits of tummy tuck are already evident, a new study highlights its role in improving stress urinary continence. According to the study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the official clinical publication of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the specified results are visible particularly among women who have not undergone an earlier cesarean section.
Here are the details of the study.
- The study surveyed tummy tuck candidates to find out the changes if any, in their stress urinary incontinence symptoms
- Ninety percent of the women who were part of the study had at least one pregnancy
- A number of factors were analyzed including
- amount of weight gain with pregnancy
- number of pregnancies
- multiple vs. single pregnancies
- history of cesarean sections
- amount of weight loss before surgery
- symptoms related to stress or urgency incontinence
- severity of incontinence following abdominoplasty
- Results showed that the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence were alleviated significantly in 60% of the women
- It was also evident that positive results were observed in women who hadn’t undergone an earlier cesarean section
Surgeons involved in the study pointed out that they pull up adequate soft tissue in the pelvic area during the tummy tuck surgery. The pull may be good enough to suspend the urethra, thus building a minor bladder outlet obstruction to minimize incontinence. However, they also noted the importance of conducting anatomic studies to determine the optimal surgical techniques for abdominoplasty. They say “it should be good enough to improve incontinence and narrow down the patients with stress urinary incontinence to benefit the most”.
Tummy tuck is already popular for its safe and efficient role in improving the aesthetic concerns of individuals. Females perform over 100000 procedures every year. There has been more than 78% increase in the figures in 2013 from that in 2000 as per the latest American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) statistics.