Question:
Has anyone had a panni without underlaying muscles being tightened?

I had my panniculetomy 5 days ago and just found out today at my follow up appt. that my underlaying abd. muscles were not sewn down. I thought that was standard procedure. What was done looks great,All the extra skin was removed and skin tightened up, but I feel cheated. The first 2 surgeons I meet with said that they tighten up the abd muscles so when I meet with the surgeron who actually did the surgery I just assumed that it would be done. My mistake.    — Cheryl H. (posted on March 15, 2002)

March 15, 2002
I had my panniculectomy and armlift in November. My plastic surgeon requested approval for an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck with repair of underlying muscle layers) from the insurance company, but stated that he would make the final decision on the work that actually needed to be done at the time of surgery. After three prior abdominal surgeries and a lifetime of obesity, he expected to find some hernia problems and a need to tighten abdominal muscles, but was pleasantly surprised to see that I really had no problems with the muscle layers that would need correcting. The panniculectomy was all I required, and I am so pleased with my wonderfully flat, tight tummy. I also had very little post-op discomfort, and I expect that I would have had more pain with an abdominoplasty. I was up walking the halls the evening of the surgery and was back to work in 2 weeks. It may just be that your surgeon made a medically responsible and ethical decision to not DO more or charge you for more than you actually needed. Best wishes!
   — Diana T.

March 15, 2002
Hi Cheryl, I had a hernia repair/panni in December. My surgeon did not tighten my muscles either. I had six pounds of extra skin removed. I am happy with what I've got plus I had absolutely no pain post-op which was great.
   — Helen C.

March 15, 2002
The procedure you had was a panniculectomy, which involves only the removal of the pannus. The procedure you were looking for is abdominoplasty in which they repair the underlying muscle tissue. However, unless you have a weakness in the abdominal wall, a hernia or other defect in the muscles, I would think the previous poster is correct, that the surgeon may have felt that the muscle tightening was unneccessary. HTH, Maria
   — Maria H.

March 16, 2002
I kind of "assumed" the other way. Since my ins co approved a panni, not an abdominoplasty, I was assuming the Dr would not tighten the underlying musculature & just found out he IS planning to do that. I think the definition is blurry between panniculectomy & abdominoplasty & exactly what will be performed under the title "panniculectomy." It's a good reminder that we all need to ask lots of questions to be sure we understand what will be done to us.
   — Kathy W.