Difference Between Abdominoplasty and Panniculectomy

Abdominoplasty Vs Panniculectomy

Today, people want to do anything just to look beautiful. In line with this, several often costly procedures such as panniculectomy and abdominoplasty have become more than just a want for some. But how do these two (almost similar) major surgeries differ from each other?

Panniculectomy basically removes the extra skin as well as fat while abdominoplasty (also known as tummy tuck) tightens the abdominal muscle and removes fat at the same time. Other experts say that the former is done primarily for the area below the navel while the latter is for restructuring the area above the belly button.

Those who subject to panniculectomy are usually in a worse shape than abdominoplasty candidates. They may have stretches of fat that extend as far as the knees from the abdomen. If they won’t undergo this surgery, they may become very prone to skin breakdown that usually starts as a rash then develops into skin ulcers. Before you will be eligible for this procedure, you need to undergo a controlled exercise and diet regimen plan that aim to stabilize your weight.

Those who want to undergo abdominoplasty just want to look more beautiful rather than performing the procedure as a means to alleviate health risks. They are practically in a better physical shape than panniculectomy candidates but they just have some overstretched muscles that are no longer able to be toned with exercise and workouts because the muscles are no longer that resilient.

Surgery wise, an abdominoplasty commences with a cut across the patient’s abdomen which is made barely above the pubic line. The second cut is done around the navel so as to make the skin nearby a lot loose. The surgeon will then try to take apart the excess skin from the main abdominal area. He continues the procedure by stitching the remaining muscles of the abdomen to make it firmer and tighter resulting in a smaller waistline. After the removal of all the unnecessary fat and skin, the remainder of the skin will be sutured back into place. Lastly, a new navel is made by forming a new opening.

There are two main incisions in a panniculectomy procedure. One is the horizontal cut that spreads from hip to hip. This is where the extra skin and fat will be removed. The second cut is a vertical line that starts below the sterna (sternum) line and reaches the pubic region. After all unneeded skin and fat are removed, the remainder of the skin is pulled back and stitched firmly together.

With regard to the time it takes to complete each procedure, it’s actually almost the same for both in the sense that it also depends on the total area to be fixed and will usually last between two to five hours.

1. Panniculectomy is usually done because it is duly prescribed by a surgeon to restructure the skin and remove extra fat in a person who is already at risk for a certain health condition while abdominoplasty is done mostly for aesthetic purposes only.

2. In a panniculectomy, there’s one vertical and one horizontal cut made while in an abdominoplasty, the cut is made just above the pubic line and the other is made around the patient’s navel.

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