Hernias and loose abdominal skin turn up together often, particularly after significant weight loss or pregnancy. Repairing the hernia and performing the abdominoplasty in one operation is usually sensible: one anaesthetic, one hospital stay, one recovery, and the surgeon working through an incision that already exposes the abdominal wall.
It also changes the billing, because a hernia repair is its own procedure with its own Medicare item.
Which hernias turn up
| Type | Where | Commonly seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Umbilical | At the belly button | After pregnancy; after weight loss; often within a diastasis |
| Epigastric | Midline between umbilicus and breastbone | Often small and multiple |
| Incisional | Through a previous surgical scar | After bariatric or other abdominal surgery |
| Inguinal | Groin | Repaired separately rather than through an abdominoplasty incision |
An incisional hernia after open bariatric surgery is the one most often found in this practice, and it is a reason imaging is worth having before planning.
Why combining makes sense
- One anaesthetic and one hospital admission rather than two, which usually costs less overall than separate operations.
- Direct access. Lifting the abdominal skin exposes the whole abdominal wall, so the hernia is repaired under direct vision.
- One recovery. Two separate operations mean two periods off work.
- The repair is protected. Removing the overhanging skin reduces the load pulling on the repair afterwards.
The catch worth knowing
Both the hernia repair and the abdominoplasty depend on blood supply to the abdominal skin, and both interrupt it in different ways. Combining them has to be planned carefully, and in some patients — particularly heavy smokers, poorly controlled diabetics, or those with a large incisional hernia and very poor skin — it is safer to stage the two.
Dr Kumar will tell you plainly if he thinks yours is a case to stage rather than combine. Complete abstinence from all nicotine, not just smoking, is required for eight weeks before and after body contouring surgery after weight loss.
Who does the hernia repair
Depending on the hernia, it may be repaired by Dr Kumar at the same operation, or by a general surgeon operating alongside him. Where a second surgeon is involved, they bill separately and that appears as its own line on your quote.
Medicare
Two separate claims are involved. The hernia repair has its own MBS item, determined by the type of hernia and whether mesh and laparoscopic access are used, and hernia repair is a recognised medical procedure rather than a cosmetic one.
The abdominoplasty component may attract a rebate where its own criteria are met — item 30177 (lipectomy with radical abdominoplasty after significant weight loss; requires intertrigo or another skin condition failing three months of conventional treatment, interference with daily living, and weight stable six months;), item 30166 (wedge excision after weight loss of at least five BMI points, stable six months;), or item 30175 (radical abdominoplasty with diastasis repair after pregnancy, with its own imaging and physiotherapy requirements;).
Note that those items exclude each other and exclude certain other procedures, so which combination can be claimed is determined case by case. Your itemised quote sets it out. MBS figures as at 1 July 2026, surgeon’s fee only. More about costs.
Recovery
Broadly that of an abdominoplasty, with more caution about lifting because of the repair: two weeks off work, a gradual return over the following four weeks, and full clearance at around twelve. Drains are used. Heavy lifting is restricted for longer than after an abdominoplasty alone — Dr Kumar will give you a figure for your repair. The week-by-week timeline.
Common questions
Will mesh be used? It depends on the hernia’s size and type, and it is discussed before surgery rather than decided during it.
Can a hernia be left alone? A hernia found during planning is usually repaired, because operating on the abdominal wall around it and leaving it is rarely sensible.
Is a diastasis a hernia? No. A diastasis is a stretched midline; a hernia is a defect with contents pushing through. They often coexist. Diastasis recti repair.
Does private health cover it? Hernia repair is generally a covered category, subject to your policy and waiting periods. The hospital checks and quotes.
Next step
Bring a GP referral — it is required to see Dr Kumar — along with any imaging or previous operation reports. He consults at Westmead, Penrith and Orange. Call 1300 267 726. More about abdominoplasty and skin removal after bariatric surgery.
The initial consultation with Dr Kumar is $400, with a Medicare rebate of approximately $88 where you have a GP referral. Surgical fees are quoted individually after your consultation, in a written itemised quote.
All surgery carries risks, and individual results will vary. Read more about the risks of surgery here. A GP referral is required to see Dr Kumar.
Dr Rohit Kumar (MED0001630444) Registered medical practitioner, specialist plastic surgeon (specialist registration in surgery – plastic surgery).
