Umbilical Transposition in Functional Panniculectomy of the Massive Weight Loss Patient: Is It Aesthetic or Medically Necessary?

Background: We review the procedures used in panniculectomy and explore the necessity of umbilical transposition when adequately treating the medical and functional problems associated with panniculus in the massive weight loss patient. Methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients with symptomatic panniculus after massive weight loss undergoing panniculectomy during the time period from November 2008 to October 2010 at Denver Health Medical Center were retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria consisted of insurance approval for the panniculectomy. All patients had persistent skin problems in the lower abdomen. Seven patients had additional skin problems in the skin around navel and/or mid-abdomen. Eleven patients complained of difficulty in performing activities of daily living. Nine patients had a concomitant ventral hernia repair. Results: An infraumbilical panniculectomy was adequate in treating the medical and functional symptoms of the abdominal region in 3 patients with no need for umbilical transposition. The remaining 32 patients required a different procedure instead of only an infraumbilical panniculectomy. Among these 32 patients, 3 patients underwent panniculectomy with sacrifice of the umbilicus. Umbilical transposition following abdominal undermining was needed in the remaining 29 patients undergoing panniculectomy. Conclusions: Functional umbilical transposition was required to avoid unnatural displacement of the navel while treating chronic skin problems in the lower abdomen, or additional persistent skin problems around the navel or in the mid-abdomen, and to access the supraumbilical region, particularly for large ventral hernia repair during panniculectomy. Therefore, umbilical transposition in these cases was not aesthetic in nature but an integral part of achieving a functional surgical treatment.