'Botched' Season 8: Dr Terry Dubrow constructs new belly button for Sandra who was born with omphalocele
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: Seven months after her operation to remove scarring from her stomach, Sandra has a flat stomach, a belly button, and the courage to wear anything she wants.
Sandra was born with an omphalocele, a birth abnormality in which the intestines or internal organs lie on the outside of the body. Following five operations before the age of two to save her life, her stomach was covered in scars, which plagued her with humiliation.
Dr Terry Dubrow removed the majority of the scars and scar tissue in Episode 4 of 'Botched' Season 8, giving Sandra a tighter, smoother tummy. The doctor even gave her a belly button.
Sandra said that she had encountered issues one hour after surgery. She had to have leeches applied to her stomach. However, the final outcome was the nicest thing that could have occurred to her.
Who is Sandra on 'Botched' Season 8?
Before consulting 'Botched' doctors, Sandra from Port Huron had previously had five omphalocele repairs in about a year and a half.
Omphalocele, also known as exomphalos, is an abdominal (belly) wall birth abnormality. The intestines, liver, or other organs of the newborn protrude through the belly button. The organs are surrounded by a thin, virtually translucent sac that is rarely exposed or damaged.
Her intestines were irritated during one of the procedures. They opened her back up, removed her intestines, and gradually replaced them over the course of two weeks. As a youngster, she was restrained, so she couldn't rip anything off. Her feeding tube scar around her neck is still visible.
Sandra's tummy was lumpy after the procedures, and she had too many scars that were difficult to conceal. Even at 115 pounds, she looked pregnant.
Sandra previously felt that the physicians were not aiming to keep her attractive, but rather to save her life. They didn't think she'd make it. However, she wanted to stop standing out because of her scarred stomach, so she went to 'Botched' doctors.
What happened to Sandra on 'Botched' Season 8?
Before getting his hands dirty, Dr Dubrow acquired a solid evaluation of the issue during Sandra's examination.
He proposed component separation, which entails separating and advancing certain layers of the abdominal wall muscle, extending them so that the right and left-sided muscles may be brought closer to the midline for adequate closure.
This would result in a flatter abdomen, greater abdominal wall contouring, the elimination of the big scar tissue, and a smaller waist.
Some of the skin might die, soft tissue could die, and the blood supply could be drastically reduced as a result of all the prior operations. Sandra was still willing to give it a chance and put her confidence in Dr Dubrow.
Dr. Dubrow began Sandra's abdominal reconstruction by creating an incision from hip to hip, raising the abdominal wall in the process. He then contours or cuts off the abnormalities in the scars.
He removed extra scar tissue before pushing her abdominal wall down to give her a tighter and flatter stomach. Dr Dubrow then created a belly button out of the leftover scar tissue.
Dr Dubrow examined Sandra on day one to see whether there was any severe interruption in blood circulation or how the belly button looked.
Everyone was relieved to see how nice her belly looked once the bandage was removed. Dr Dubrow told her that he could erase about 95% of her scars.
He did, however, notice Sandra's bruising, which was caused by a decrease in blood flow. The good news is that it was discovered quickly, within 24 hours of the procedure. He used nitroglycerin topical on Sandra's scars to open up the blood vessels and maximize supply.
Who is Dr Terry Dubrow on 'Botched'?
Dr Terry Dubrow combines his exceptional professional credentials and ethics with a personalized approach to patient care and an acute sense of aesthetic beauty.
He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery, and a qualified expert for the California Medical Board, having worked extensively as an expert in medical negligence since 2000.
He is the author of The Acne Cure and a health and fitness expert.
'Botched' Season 8 airs on E! every Thursday at 10 pm ET.