Prospective Study of Functional and Quality of Life Outcomes in Panniculectomy Patients

Patients with morbid obesity often develop a significant overhanging abdominal pannus. Problems associated with an overhanging pannus can include difficulty performing routine daily activities as well as exercise due to the cumbersome nature of the excess tissue. In addition, the abdominal pannus tissue often becomes infected due to difficulty with hygiene and abnormal circulation and lymphatic flow. There may also be a significant contribution from the pannus to the patient's underlying cardiopulmonary status which is often compromised in morbid obesity patients. In addition to weight loss, one of the treatment strategies includes a panniculectomy. A panniculectomy involves resection of the excess abdominal skin and fat in a wedge shape from the lower abdomen. Purported benefits include increased ability to exercise, better quality of life and improved cardiopulmonary function. However, there is a significant morbidity associated with panniculectomy surgery, with wound related complications occurring in as much as 50% of patients with this procedure. The investigators hypothesize that the panniculectomy procedure provides long term benefits to this patient population despite significant short term morbidity.