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Panniculectomy to Facilitate Gynecologic Surgery in Morbidly Obese Women

From the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Coastal Area Health Education Center, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Wilmington, North Carolina.

Address reprint requests to: John L. Powell, MD Gynecologic Oncology Coastal Area Health Education Center PO Box 9025 Wilmington, NC 28402-9025

Objective: To determine whether abdominal panniculectomy done in conjunction with pelvic surgery in morbidly obese women is safe and useful.

Methods: Twenty morbidly obese women had excision of large abdominal panniculi in conjunction with pelvic surgery at New Hanover Regional Medical Center between November 1994 and September 1998. Panniculectomy was to improve surgical exposure and to decrease the incidence of wound necrosis, infection, and dehiscence among those high-risk women who all had chronic intertrigo in the skin folds under their panni.

Results: The women were 38–65 years old (mean 51 years) and weighed 202–475 pounds (mean 305 pounds). Their body mass indices were 35–76 (mean 51.5). Three women had superficial partial wound dehiscence, which was treated successfully with office debridement. There were no pulmonary emboli or operative deaths.

Conclusion: Abdominal panniculectomy is safe and useful in morbidly obese women.