Maxfacts

Abdomen

Postoperative problems affecting the abdomen (belly) can be remedied as follows:

• Scars. Gastrostomy (sometimes called a PEG, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) scars are from a small puncture wound in the upper left abdominal wall. If there is a fistula (very rare), a formal operation to excise the fistula, seal the stomach and improve the skin wound is needed. Usually a simple skin scar revision is all that is needed, if anything. Abdominal full thickness skin grafts are usually harvested from the side of the abdominal wall and rarely need revision.
• The rectus abdominis flap for head and neck reconstruction is done in a variety of shapes but usually lies vertically on one side of the abdomen and unless the scar is very wide and unsightly rarely needs revision. Rarely, if a mesh has been used to reinforce the abdominal wall and has been exposed and needed removal, the scar may be revised.