Question:
Has a UTI been used to get reconstructive surgery approved

I have Aetna HMO and am going through a horrendous UTI. In looking for something good about all of this pain, I thought maybe this hanging sking could have caused this problem and be able to use it as a medical necessity.    — faybay (posted on May 30, 2003)

May 30, 2003
I'm not sure, but I DO know that I find it much harder to empty my bladder completely now and that can't be good! I'm also going to try and use sexual difficulties for this. It's supposed to be anything that impedes normal bodily function and sex is definitely being screwed up by the excess skin!
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 31, 2003
Not a doc, but have worked in medical care for 16 years, and I can't think of one reason why excess skin would have anything to do with chronic UTI. There can be internal anatomy reasons for UTIs not resolving, but doesn't seem like excess skin would be related - sorry!
   — bethybb

June 1, 2003
I think you asked a good question. I think that the weight of the excess skin can be a contributing factor in UTI's. If you can picture your bladder as a balloon full of water and your belly as a weight on top of it, you can see that the belly weight forces water out of the baloon but can also keep the balloon from emptying completely, this can also happen to your bladder and if your bladder does not empty completely you may be subject to UTI's. Your plastic surgeon can use this information and the ins co may or may not consider it. There is a good article on the web that informs re the rational for TT and the dx codes, if I can find it again I will send it to you. Good luck. Kathy
   — kathleen S.