Is this just swelling 4 weeks post Panniculectomy? (Photo)

Question

4.5 weeks ago I had a panni (only thing insurance would cover). The doctor did muscle repair, went above belly button, and "made" me a belly button so I guess in essence it was a tummy tuck w/o lipo. I'll need addition things done I've lost 165 lbs with loose skin. She will fix dog ears and pucker. Does bulge over the incision seem like swelling? It looked a lot better up until a week ago and was less bulge on the sides. I don't want to have to do this again for better results.

Dhaval M. Patel, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and photo! Without doing liposuction with your pannus removal unfortunately this is about it.  Best of luck!Dr Dhaval Patel
Double Board Certifed 
Plastic Surgeon
Chicago
Hoffman Estates
Oakbrook
Orland Park

Richard J. Wassermann, MD, MPH, FACS · Answer

Hello! With no pre-op pictures, it can be difficult to see where you "came from" prior to surgery, but overall, it looks like you probably had a great deal of skin removed. At 4.5 weeks, the majority of your swelling has resided, but some additional will continue to resolve. Unfortunately, the Panniculectomy procedure does not have as much of an aesthetic result as a true Abdominoplasty or Tummy Tuck procedure. The insurance company is not conserned with the appearance of the abdomen after the procedure, they are only willing to correct (as a medical necessity) the fold of skin that causes rashes, yeast and skin breakdown. Depending on how much tissue you had to remove, a Panniculectomy alone can help, but it does not alway result in an aesthetically pleasing result. We often combine what the insurance will cover (Panniculectomy) with a "cosmetic add-on" that the patient is responsible for, so that the overall outcome is more aesthetic so that it corrects the medically necessary aspect as well as the cosmetic appearance, but it can be much more costly to the patient. Check with your surgeon so that she can assess you directly to determine what additional corrections could be made.Best of luck.

Is this just swelling 4 weeks post Panniculectomy? (Photo)

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Is this just swelling 4 weeks post Panniculectomy? (Photo)

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Everything you need to know about Panniculectomy

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.