Cosmetic Surgery Tips

Diastasis Recti Mesh Repair

If you have a diastasis recti, you know that it can be incredibly frustrating. Not only does it make it difficult to get into your jeans, but it can also cause back pain and make your belly look out-of-whack.

So what can you do about it?

Well, now there’s an answer: Diastasis recti mesh repair! This procedure uses a piece of mesh to help close the gap in your abdominal muscles. It can be done with local anesthesia or general anesthesia, depending on your preference and comfort level. In this guide, we review the aspects of Diastasis recti mesh repair, diastasis recti surgery laparoscopic recovery, diastasis recti surgery with hernia repair, and diastasis recti repair without mesh.

The process takes about 45 minutes and involves making two small incisions in the skin around the abdomen and inserting the mesh through those incisions. The surgeon will then tighten the abdominal muscles around the edges of the hole so they stay together, effectively closing up the diastasis.

After surgery, you will need to wear compression garments for several weeks while your body heals from surgery—and then continue wearing compression clothing for at least six months after that! After surgery, you might also require physical therapy, which your insurance might cover if your doctor requests it before the procedure.

Diastasis recti mesh repair

How much does a diastasis recti repair cost? It varies by provider and area served; however

Diastasis recti mesh repair is a procedure that uses surgical mesh to fix the separation between the abdominal muscles that happens during pregnancy. This can happen when the connective tissue of the posterior rectus sheath stretches to accommodate the growing uterus. The connective tissue can fail to return to its original state after giving birth, causing a displacement of tissue and a gap in the linea alba.

The gap may be repaired by stitching together the two sides of the muscle, which are separated by a gap as wide as 2 inches or more. The stitches are used to pull together and reinforce the weakened area so it will hold up under strain from daily activities.

This procedure takes about 1-2 hours and requires general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. Recovery time ranges from 1-2 weeks depending on how much pain you experience after surgery and how well you heal physically.

You should avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activities for 6 weeks following surgery because this could cause further damage to your abdominal muscles and make them weaker than before surgery took place. You will also need to wear compression garments (such as Spanx) for several months after your procedure has taken place so that your body can heal properly without

Diastasis recti is a condition that affects many women after having babies.

It is a separation of the abdominal muscles and can cause pain, discomfort, and even hernia.

Diastasis recti mesh repair is the most common treatment for diastasis recti, but it’s not necessary for everyone.

If you have a diastasis recti that’s less than 3 finger-widths wide, you may be able to heal on your own without surgery. However, if the gap between your abdominal muscles gets wider than one to two finger-widths, it’s likely that you’ll need surgery to fix it.

Diastasis recti repair is a surgical procedure used to correct a separation between the left and right sides of your abdominal muscles. It uses mesh to help the two sides of your abs come back together. The recovery time depends on your personal health and the severity of your diastasis, but you can expect to be off work for at least six weeks after surgery. The procedure itself takes about an hour, and the surgeon will use general anesthesia so that you won’t feel any pain during the surgery.

You’ll have a few doctors’ visits before and after your surgery to make sure everything is still healing properly, but once you’ve healed up completely, there’s no need for follow-up care. The cost for this procedure runs around $5,000-$6,000

Diastasis recti is a condition that affects many women after pregnancy. The condition causes the gap between the abdominal muscles to widen, which can cause pain and other issues.

In order to treat diastasis recti, a doctor may recommend surgery to repair the muscle separation. This surgery uses mesh to help close the gap between the abdominal muscles and strengthen them. It’s also possible for your doctor to perform this surgery without using mesh if they think that would be better for you.

The recovery time varies from person to person, but it usually takes about six weeks before you can start exercising again or doing any type of strenuous activity. You’ll need to wear a special belt while you’re recovering so that you don’t do anything too strenuous and damage your repaired muscle walls.

Pictures of Severe Diastasis Recti

There are different types of mesh that can be used during diastasis recti repair surgery. Some types are stronger than others and last longer, but they also tend to cause more irritation when inserted into your body. It’s important for you as an individual patient to discuss with your doctor what kind of mesh would be best suited for your individual needs before making a decision about whether or not you want them used in this type of procedure on yourself

Diastasis recti mesh repair is a procedure that uses mesh to help close the gap in the abdominal muscles.

The diastasis recti repair can take anywhere from 1-3 weeks to heal, depending on how much tissue needs to be closed.

It is possible for the diastasis recti to be completely fixed with this procedure, but it depends on how severe your condition is and how much time you spend working out.

Diastasis recti mesh repair is a surgical procedure that uses mesh to repair the abdominal wall after a diastasis recti has been diagnosed. This procedure can be done in an outpatient setting and does not require general anesthesia.

The length of time it takes for a diastasis recti repair to heal varies greatly depending on the individual, but you should expect to be out of work for at least two weeks after the procedure. If you have other health conditions, you may need more time off work than this.

A complete repair of a diastasis recti is possible, but not guaranteed. Your body will heal over time and may close the gap on its own if you are committed to strengthening your core muscles through exercise. You must stick with any prescribed physical therapy or training program if you want to see results from this procedure.

A diastasis recti mesh repair is a procedure that uses surgical mesh to repair a diastasis recti.

If you have a diastasis recti, you may have heard that you can fix it with exercise, but this is not always true. Pregnancy, obesity, or heavy lifting can all cause a diastasis recti. If your muscles are weak and unable to hold your belly together after pregnancy, for example, then you may need surgery to repair the gap.

A diastasis recti mesh repair takes about an hour and is performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. The surgeon will make small cuts in the skin around the area where there’s a gap in the muscle tissue and insert tiny pieces of surgical mesh into the incisions. The mesh will make sure that there are no spaces between your abdominal muscles so that they can heal back together without leaving an opening for organs like intestines or kidneys to slip through—and without causing discomfort or pain during everyday activities like walking or sitting down on hard surfaces (since those movements would cause strain on internal organs).

In most cases of diastasis recti repairs done with surgical mesh, patients are able to go home within 24 hours after having surgery

Diastasis recti is a condition in which the connective tissue of the abdominal muscles separates. It occurs most often in pregnant women, but can also occur in those who are overweight or have recently lost weight.

Diastasis recti can be corrected with surgery, but it’s not always necessary. In fact, there are many cases where diastasis recti does not require treatment at all. However, when it does require treatment, there are several surgical options available to patients.

The most common way to treat diastasis recti is through mesh repair surgery. The surgeon will place a mesh over the affected area and sew it into place with sutures. This allows the muscle tissue to heal normally over time while providing support for the affected area until it heals completely.

Diastasis recti is a condition where the muscles of the abdominal wall separate, creating an opening. This opening can be as small as a few millimeters or as large as several centimeters.

Diastasis recti is common in pregnant women, and it can be caused by multiple factors, including:

  • Lack of belly support during pregnancy (e.g., wearing loose clothing that doesn’t fit properly)
  • Excessive weight gain during pregnancy
  • Carrying twins or more than one baby at a time.

diastasis recti surgery laparoscopic recovery

Diastasis recti or diastasis of Rectus muscles is an extremely common condition specially in young female after multiple pregnancies when the anterior abdominal wall muscles called rectus muscles have separated from each other and weakened the core muscle strength. This condition also associated with abdominal wall bulge with abnormal body posture, lower back pain and abdominal discomfort during heavy activity and exercise. This condition is an anatomical abnormality and does not improve spontaneously or with any type of exercise.

These issues are seen and become more noticeable especially in women with thinner and smaller body frame and they never improve spontaneously even with diet and daily exercises. In fact the diastasis of rectus muscle and/or hernia could potentially get worse or become more noticeable after heavy exercise and/or excessive weight loss. Women after pregnancy not only have the potential of developing abdominal wall weakness with diastasis of rectus muscle and/or abdominal wall hernia, but also could experience other aesthetically undesirable conditions such as excessive skin laxity, stretch marks and excessive fat deposit around the abdomen and flank regions.

Laparoscopic surgical techniques

There are variety of laparoscopic surgical techniques to repair this problem which depends on the size and extent of diastasis, other associated problems including extra loose abdominal wall skin and excess fat as well as patient’s expectations. My new laparoscopic surgery technique is a minimally invasive surgery procedure to repair the Diastasis Recti which offers the patients, less pain and faster recovery. However, not everyone with this condition is a good candidate for this procedure.

At Surgical Oasis Institute, an Orange County Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery center Dr. Iraniha has the expertise in all available surgical technique to repair the “Diastasis Recti” and a comprehensive examination and surgical discussion would be provided prior to the surgery to customize the best surgical option for each patient. Please contact us at 949-646-8444 for virtual or in person surgical consultation.

diastasis recti surgery with hernia repair

All buildings need a solid foundation. If a corner of that foundation crumbles, the building will weaken. The same thing happens with an abdominal wall defect, such as a hernia or diastasis recti – muscle separation due to pregnancy.

Instead of having solid support to walk, sit, or bend, you have muscle weakness that can impair your quality of life, including back and joint pain, decreased mobility, and even self-confidence issues. Patients’ with large, protruding abdomens have been mistaken for being pregnant and even accused of shoplifting items under their shirts.

Surgical repair through abdominal wall reconstruction can be successful if done appropriately by an experienced team. Many of our patients, however, have traveled a long road before being referred to our center. By the time they see us, the average patient has had eight to 15 prior surgeries or more – including as many as three to four failed attempts at hernia repair. Most have seen multiple surgeons who informed them they were out of options.

Then they find out about our abdominal reconstruction team at the UT Southwestern Plastic Surgery Clinic. Our team of experts provides transformational procedures that are more complex than those performed at most surgery centers.

We often perform two to four abdominal reconstruction procedures a week, while some centers may only perform that in a year. Approximately 60 percent of our patients travel from outside the Metroplex for our patient-centric approach. Our surgeons also partner with UT Southwestern’s physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) experts to decrease patients’ downtime, personalize their recovery program, and reduce the risk of recurrence after complex abdominal wall hernia repair and reconstruction.

We are dedicated to helping patients realize their optimal physical function and emotional well-being. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to abdominal reconstruction and rehabilitation. The first step is a full review of your health story: your medical history, previous surgeries, professional/personal interests and goals.

Conditions that May Require Abdominal Wall Surgery

The abdomen contains many vital organs and important blood vessels that must be supported with clear functional pathways to keep patients healthy. All these systems must be protected for a successful repair.

We strive for the least invasive, most effective approach for all patients. That said, most patients will require open surgery due to extensive scar tissue or distorted anatomy, often due to prior surgery. The type of procedure or surgical approach recommended – whether it employs sutures, biological mesh, muscle flaps, or a combination of those technique— will ultimately depend on the individual patient’s condition.

These are some of the most common conditions we treat with abdominal reconstruction surgery:

After surgery, patients generally recover in the hospital for a few days to a week before going home and starting physical therapy. With proper rehabilitation, most patients can achieve pre-injury levels of activity within three to six months. Every patient is different, and we have candid discussions with each patient based on their pre-operative evaluation.

Occasionally, surgery may not be the safest choice for a patient’s condition. For individuals with multiple risk factors (comorbidities) or many previous surgeries, another procedure may be deemed too risky and could make the condition worse.

Know that if we recommend against surgery, it’s because we’ve considered all the options with you and with our team of experts. In that instance, we often will help you find a nonsurgical care plan with our PM&R team that may help with your symptoms.

Setting You up For Success

With abdominal wall reconstruction, certain health factors can increase the risk of complications such as infection, heart or breathing issues, blood clots, or recurrence.

With each attempt at reconstruction, the risk of recurrence increases by 10 to 20 percent, so it is important to optimize your health as much as possible before we perform surgery. We typically focus on managing four major risk factors:

Obesity is perhaps the strongest predictor of complications with abdominal wall reconstruction. For example, if your body mass index (BMI) is 35 or higher, an abdominal reconstruction procedure will almost certainly fail.

However, losing weight before surgery can substantially improve outcomes. Reducing your BMI to below 35 can cut the risk of recurrence, infection, and cardiac events related to surgery by 50 percent.

We recognize losing weight is not as easy as “eat right and exercise.” Your care team will help set manageable goals based on your needs and motivation. All patients get access to a team of providers to help with each step toward recovery.

Rehab-Focused Care

Depending on your needs and condition, your care team may include nutrition experts, gynecologists, urologists, gastroenterologists, or oncologists. However, our PM&R department will almost always be involved in your care.

PM&R focuses on full-body functional restoration. UT Southwestern was among the first medical centers to explore the importance of physical rehab after abdominal reconstructive surgery. We reported in a 2015 study that implementing a rehabilitation program resulted in approximately 20 percent lower recurrence rates and a nearly 30 percent lower rate of complications.

Just as you would do rehab after knee, hip, or shoulder surgery, you’ll need to strengthen your abdominal wall after reconstructive surgery. The expert doctors and therapists in our PM&R team will create a personalized plan to help improve your range of motion and strengthen your core – the muscles in your abdomen, back, and glutes.

Stretching and maintaining strength during the weeks and months of recovery can help reduce discomfort, increase blood flow, and improve your ability to safely perform daily activities, such as sitting up, getting out of bed, and walking.

Get Your Life and Confidence Back

UT Southwestern can provide advanced surgical care because we work as a team. Every patient we treat gets access to a wide range of providers with specific expertise who can address all their health needs. So many factors coalesce to determine a patient’s outcomes.

The patient’s motivation is still one of the biggest keys to success. Pairing your efforts with our team approach can result in lifechanging outcomes. We’ve helped patients regain the ability to do a variety of normal activities, from standing in their kitchen cooking meals to exercising and returning to work.

Most importantly, they get back to doing what brings them joy: getting down on the floor to play with their kids, feeling confident enough to go on dates, and being able to start families.

Seeing these results is one of the most rewarding aspects of my surgical career. You can see it in patients’ faces and their whole demeanor when they return for follow-up visits. It’s why we do what we do.

If you’d like to talk with an abdominal reconstruction expert, call 214-645-8300 or request an appointment online.

diastasis recti repair without mesh

What is Diastasis Recti? 

First of all, what exactly is Diastasis Recti? Also known by the medical term rectus diastasis or diastasis rectus abdominis, it is basically when your “six-pack,” the rectus abdominis muscles, split down the middle. This causes a belly that sticks out, especially at the end of the day and after big meals, and typically does not respond to diet or abdominal exercises. 

What Causes Diastasis Recti?

Abdominal separation is most common after pregnancy. Pregnancy puts pressure on the abdominal wall from the inside, and as a result, the muscles may spread down the middle. The more children you have, the more likely you will experience rectus diastasis since the abdominal muscles will weaken over time. That said, the condition isn’t exclusive to postpartum women. It is also seen in middle-aged, typically overweight men, weightlifters, and women who have gained weight and lost it again. Yo-yo dieters are often prone to it as well. Aside from the aesthetic downside of a stomach bulge, you may experience uncomfortable symptoms such as lower back pain and weakness of your core abdominal muscles. While rectus diastasis is rarely a serious medical issue, it’s uncomfortable to still have a baby belly. Core weakness, poor posture, and back pain do take their toll over time.

Treatment for Diastasis Recti

Now let’s discuss treatment. A rectus diastasis does NOT require a tummy tuck to be repaired. I frequently repair the rectus diastasis through old C-section scars as well as through belly button incisions. I have heard of other plastic surgeons fixing them through the C-section incision (therefore, ensuring the patient doesn’t have additional scarring), but as far as I know, I’m the only one who has done the “umbilicus” incision. Both the C-section and the belly button incision are ideal since the scar stays small and the recovery is much easier than a full abdominoplasty. Not everyone has a C-section scar, of course, which is why the belly button incision can work better for some people.

I’ve been asked, why doesn’t everyone repair a rectus diastasis this way? I think that plastic surgeons were all taught to do these big abdominoplasty incisions, and it’s so easy to see the diastasis through a big incision than through a much smaller hole. As my patients asked me to go smaller and smaller over the years, I realized that it is not just “do-able” to do the surgery through the smaller incisions; it’s actually preferable in some cases. If you don’t need a skin excision, then you’re better off without it. It simply adds scar, risk, and recovery time that you don’t need. And surgically, it’s easier than you would think as the belly button is right in the middle of the abdomen and the distance to the repair is short.

How Do You Fix  Diastasis Recti Without A Tummy Tuck?

The surgery is done by first making the incision and using the access to “create a plane” between your fat and muscles. That way, the top of the muscles, and the fascia that covers it, can be easily visualized. The plane goes all the way up to the very bottom of the sternum, called the xiphoid process, and all the way down to the pubis bone, at the very bottom of the abdomen. After the whole area can be visualized, the muscles are marked. The “medial edge” of the muscles, which is supposed to be midline, will be split, and the maximum point of the split is usually just under the belly button, right in the middle. Using a special, long-looped suture, the repair is done in one long, strong running repair.

Starting at the top, getting wider at the middle, and then tapering back to a point, the full diastasis is brought back to the midline. The central area receives a “double repair” for some patients to ensure a solid surgical repair compensates for the natural higher tension. Then, the patient is seated upright to make sure we “see” all the extra skin and the appearance of the abdomen. As you may have figured out, abdomens always look better lying down, and we need to see it at its worst! With the patient upright, additional tightening is done as necessary, and skin can be undermined laterally to allow the skin to shift to the full abdomen and lie smoothly. 

What About Recovery?

A drain is then placed that stays in for three to four days, and the skin is then closed with small sutures. The patient wears a compression garment to keep the abdomen tight and supported. After one month, heavy-lifting and exercise can be resumed.

So Who is a Good Candidate for Diastasis Recti Repair? 

These small incisions are great, but they don’t remove any skin – they only fix the muscle. This helps me determine who is a good candidate. A good candidate is someone who has stretched-out muscles but not a lot of stretched-out skin. That means that when you get up in the morning, and your stomach is flat, and you suck in all that extra size, that your skin does not hang or double over. The perfect patient looks great in the morning and then looks more and more “pregnant” or stretched-out throughout the day.

Remember, if you have a lot of loose skin or a very wide diastasis, and then surgically I “cinch” your waist back together, all that skin has to fit a much smaller version of you! If your skin is hanging or loose, you may need some tuck (skin removal) on top of the diastasis repair, requiring a larger abdominal incision. A full abdominoplasty is for excessive skin, and the mini-abdominoplasty is when the extra skin is only present on the lower part of the abdomen, below the belly button.

Get Treatment for Your Separated Abs

The most important takeaway is to remember that you do have the option only to fix the muscle. You don’t need to remove skin or make extensive incisions unless you choose to do so. Never let anyone say that you have to have a tummy tuck when you don’t really need it! Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about which treatment may be right for you. 

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