Panniculectomy

Included among the many people interested in "tummy tuck” surgery is an increasing number of patients who have undergone extreme weight loss (through bariatric surgery or otherwise) and have, in the process, acquired an abundance of hanging skin surrounding their trunk and abdomen. In this instance, the excess hanging abdominal skin is known as a "panniculus” and the operation to remove it is called a panniculectomy.

 

For these patients, because of health considerations as well as the magnitude of abdominal skin excess, this surgery is normally modified to provide both a safe and beneficial outcome. Modifications may include omission of muscle tightening, variation in the resulting scar location and no effort being made to preserve the navel. This procedure is often associated with increased anesthesia time and, occasionally, a well advised overnight hospital stay.