Panniculectomy at the time of gynecologic surgery in morbidly obese patients

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to demonstrate that panniculectomy performed at the time of gynecologic surgery aids in reducing the operative time and exposure and does not increase the wound infection rate in morbidly obese patients. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective survey was performed of massively obese patients who underwent panniculectomy at the time of gynecologic surgery at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine consortium hospitals from 1990-1999, Data collected during surgery included the patient's weight, operative opening and closing times, blood loss, and weight of the removed panniculus adiposus. Postoperative wound infection rates were monitored, and patients were followed up for 6 months. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients underwent the following operations: radical hysterectomy (n = 19), extrafascial hysterectomy (n = 18), standard hysterectomy (n = 32), or other gynecologic surgery (n = 9). The average blood loss was 71 mt. Opening and closing times were 27 and 33 minutes, respectively, adding a minimal amount of operative time to the required gynecologic surgery. The average removed panniculus adiposus weighed 4745 g. Efficiency in obtaining exposure to the operative site was noted. A total of 2 wound infections were recorded in the postoperative period. In 1 case debridement was required, and in the other healing occurred by secondary intention. Minimal separation occurred in 4 other cases and required no intervention. CONCLUSION: Massively obese patients can safely undergo panniculectomy simultaneously with a gynecologic procedure. The difficulty with operative exposure is reduced, and these patients are better served intraoperatively. Postoperatively, the wound infection rates quoted for this population were markedly improved from prior studies and involved a larger group of patients.