It’s not unusual for patients to have difficulty sleeping on their back following surgery. For this reason, they are often eager to return to side or abdomen sleeping. Unfortunately after abdominoplasty we feel that it’s important to keep the abdomen flexed for one to two weeks following surgery. This avoids tension on the wound closure and minimizes the potential for wound breakdown and spread of the scar.
Therefore we generally recommend that patients sleep in a recliner chair for one to two weeks following abdominoplasty. Although patients may stay flexed while sleeping on their sides, they sometimes turn and extend their backs reflexedly. This doesn’t happen in a recliner chair.
No two patients are the same and for this reason, it’s important to individualize post-operative care. If you’re concerned about this issue, it’s important to discuss post-operative care with your surgeon.