Panniculectomy during cesarean delivery

Abstract

Background Panniculectomy has frequently been asked by many women to be done in the same session as a cesarean section (CS), to remove excess skin and stretch marks that develop during pregnancy and gain the benefits from avoiding a future surgery and repeated anesthesia. Aim To evaluate the safety, the cosmetic results, and possible complications of combining panniculectomy with CS. Patients and methods This study included 50 pregnant women who underwent panniculectomy combined with CS. The study was conducted in Al-Hussain University Hospital, in Cairo, Egypt, during the period from April 2018 till February 2020, and had an average follow-up period of 6 months. Results This study showed that 24 (48%) patients were happy with the overall results. More than 50% of the cases had either postoperative complications or some unpleasant results. Persistent bulging of the abdomen and/or lack of waist definition (36%) were the most unesthetic result. Postoperative complications included infection (18%), wound dehiscence (9%), and distal skin necrosis (12%). Conclusion It may seem quite beneficial to combine the two surgical procedures in the same setting. However, owing to the higher risk of postoperative complications and unesthetic outcomes, it does not seem to be in the best interests of most patients.