title: Panniculectomy adjuvant to obesity surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many patients who qualify for obesity surgery have a moderate to large panniculus (grade 1-5). They can benefit from panniculectomy done concurrently with gastric bypass (GBP) or subsequently after significant weight reduction, usually 18 months after the GBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over the last 8 years, 2,231 bariatric operations were performed at the Center. 577 panniculectomies were done, with 428 (74.2%) concurrent with the GBP and 149 (25.8%) subsequent to the GBP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The redundant pannus weighed from 5 to 54.5 kg. Wound problems occured in 15.1% of panniculectomies. Transfusion was necessary in 1.9%. Hospital stay was 4 to 5 days, and was no greater than in patients that underwent the GBP alone. Those with grades 3-5 suffer more back-pain and problems of hygiene resulting from panniculitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A very redundant panniculus compounds the patient's physical, social and emotional problems. Where cardiopulmonary and other medical status are satisfactory, a panniculectomy may be offered to patients with a symptomatic panniculus at the time of bariatric surgery, as a physically beneficial and cost-effective adjuvant.
authors.affiliation: Tri-City Regional Medical Center, Hawaiian Gardens, CA, USA. info@cstobesity.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Igwe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanczyk
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Felahy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tambi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fobi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications