Am I a Good Candidate for a Panniculectomy/Tummy Tuck? (photo)

Here is the deal I am a 38 years old and had a VSG in August of 2011. I currently weigh 163lbs and I am 5'7. I have no children and do not plan for any. I wanted to know if I would be a candidate for insurance to cover the panniculectomy portion and I would pay out of pocket for the actual tummy tuck portion. My second question is should I get a straight tummy tuck or a fluer de lis? I do get rashes and continue to have back issues due to the excess skin. Any help would be appreciated!

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by Cusscusscutie in Worcester, MA

Doctor Answers (8)
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Tummy tuck or pannus

Hi, You are the perfect candidate for the fleur-de-lis tummy tuck and anything short of this is going to be a disappointment in the midline tissue. This area even with a tight pull will NOT be flat and will be "flabby". If you are okay with that because you do not want the midline scar, then you will still be happier by far as there will be great improvement. A pannus excision alone will take care of the lower hanging tissue but you get just that..an... more

Candidate for Tummy tuck

I doubt your insurance will cover a panniculectomy as I don't think your skin hangs low enough to qualify for what insurance companies cover. As for the tummy tuck, I think you can get away with a standard tummy tuck incision---you will likely find that the loose skin can be tightened without the midline incision required with a fleur de lis pattern.

Candidate fr Andominal operation.

Yes I agree with the aggressive surgery option but as for health insurance coverage? I doubt. Best to obtain inperson evaluations.

Candidate for panniculectomy and tummy tuck? will insurance pay?

Hi, thanks for posting your story and the excellent photos. Let's break down your case into two parts: 1. Will my insurance cover the panniculectomy? Insurance coverage first needs to be ascertained by checking your policy to make sure that there are no riders that deny coverage of panniculectomy. Secondly, the criteria used to establish coverage are as follows weight loss in excess of 100 lbs, and stable (generally 12-18 months post procedure), documented rashes... more

Tummy tuck candidate

I think you are a surgical candidate. Just know that insurance companies have cracked down on panniculectomy so unless you have intractable rashes which have not responded to antibiotics, you may well be denied.

Tummy Tuck

You have a considerable amount of loose skin with very little fat excess. In my part of the country, a panniculectomy is only considered as an insurance case, and doing this concurrently with a cosmetic tummy tuck really does not save you any money since the tummy tuck fees remain the same, and the panniculectomy tissue would be removed by both procedures. I would recommend that you consult with surgeons experienced in doing these procedures in massive weight loss patients. more

Donald Griffin, MD

7 reviews

Nashville Plastic Surgeon

Panniculectomy/Tummy Tuck

It is hard to predict which patient will have insurance coverage for panniculectomy. Some policies specifically exclude such procedures, others have varying standards of medical necessity. Having a history of rashes is a plus in your favor. As to the best procedure, I feel, based on the photos, that there is enough excess in both the vertical and horizontal directions that a "fleur-de-lis" or vertical TT will be needed to get the best outcome. When you ready for... more

What kind of tummy tuck should I get.

Thank you for your questions and your photographs. You have clearly done remarkable job through your weight loss surgery. You'll need to be evaluated by a board certified plastic surgeon to be certain, but based upon your photographs I feel that you would do best with a Fleur de Lis tummy tuck. You have both horizontal and vertical laxity of the abdominal wall skin and a standard tummy tuck would only take care of the vertical laxity. Whether or not any of... more