Fleur-de-lis Abdominoplasty Often Necessary In Post Bariatric Contouring, NC

A fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty is one that incorporates the typical transverse incision with removal of the lower abdominal pannus but also incorporates a central elliptical excision of skin in the midline of the abdomen to address central or vertical skin excess. It does result in a midline scar which typically is avoided in most cosmetic tummy tucks. However when patients have significant skin excess and are looking for the maximal removal, this technique is recommended. The term fleur-de-lis refers to a stylized symbol representing the Lily flower. This is a French term and symbolizes the French monarchy dating back to the 13 th Century. It has a prominent vertical line with a crossing transverse line and thus looks similar to the incisional pattern. This 55-year-old woman lost well over 100 pounds after bariatric surgery. She wished to have improvements in her abdomen. In fact she qualified for an insurance based panniculectomy but the abdominoplasty portion which includes diastases repair and umbilical transposition is not covered by insurance. Therefore the patient did pay out of pocket for a significant portion of this procedure. It was done in a hospital setting because of some of her underlying health issues. Her body mass index was still high at 33 but she had a very significant improvement in this very large pannus. Many patients continue to lose weight now that the offending pannus has been removed.