The global prevalence of obesity continues to rise, contributing to an increased frequency of abdominal wall reconstruction procedures, particularly ventral hernia repairs, in individuals with elevated body mass indexes. Undertaking these operations in obese patients poses inherent challenges. This review focuses on the current literature in this area, with special attention to the impact of concomitant panniculectomy. Obese individuals undergoing abdominal wall reconstruction face elevated rates of wound healing complications and hernia recurrence. The inclusion of concurrent panniculectomy heightens the risk of surgical site occurrences but does not significantly influence hernia recurrence rates. While this combined approach can be executed in obese patients, caution is warranted, due to the higher risk of complications. Physicians should carefully balance and communicate the potential risks, especially regarding the increased likelihood of wound healing complications. Acknowledging these factors is crucial in shared decision making and ensuring optimal patient outcomes in the context of abdominal wall reconstruction and related procedures in the obese population.

Acquired buried penis is a condition that can have detrimental physical and psychological consequences for patients. Factors such as elevated BMI, chronic scrotal lymphedema, hidradenitis suppurativa, and chronic inflammation can lead to the condition. Surgical intervention is the treatment of choice for advanced disease. Following IRB approval, a retrospective chart review was performed for patients with a diagnosis of acquired buried penis who required surgical intervention. Details of patient history, surgical management including intraoperative and post-operative photography, and complications were reviewed. Seven patient cases were reviewed. The average age at time of surgery was 44 with a mean weight of 344 pounds and an average BMI of 48. Severe scrotal lymphedema and hidradenitis were common concurrent comorbidities. Concurrent scrotoplasty and infraumbilical panniculectomy were standard parts of the operations. Native glans skin was salvageable in all but one case. Penile shaft skin was reconstructed with skin grafts or adjacent tissue transfer. 88% of the cases had some element of wound dehiscence post-operatively. Surgical management of an acquired buried penis can be challenging. The patient demographic with the disease is frequently complicated by morbid obesity, concurrent lymphedema, or hidradenitis. Post-operative complications are expected. The surgical techniques presented can aid in simplifying the management of this challenging surgical population.

BACKGROUND: Panniculectomy is regarded as an effective approach in highly obese patients with endometrial cancer to improve surgical access or space of the surgical field.
METHODS: A 66-year-old nulliparous woman was brought in from another hospital to our institute for newly diagnosed endometrial carcinoma. The patient was 158 cm in height and weighed 135.8 kg during the first visit to our hospital. Her body mass Index (BMI) was 54.4 kg/m2. Unfortunately, the patient developed an umbilical hernia and strangulation before the surgery. Emergency partial ileal resection and simple closure of the umbilical hernia were performed. We were finally able to perform simple hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with panniculectomy. Her weight at the time of surgery was 115.5 kg which had been reduced by 20 kg from the time she was first brought in, and the BMI decreased from 54.4 to 45.3 kg/m2. The patient underwent follow-up without adjuvant therapy since she was in the low-risk group, and showed no signs of recurrence 12 months after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS: There are various risks associated with surgery in highly obese patients. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension and smoking are reported to be risk factors of wound complication in panniculectomy, and it was reported that diabetes mellitus was an independent risk factor.
CONCLUSIONS: The combination of panniculectomy was considered as an effective approach to perform safe surgery for obese patients.

Panniculectomy combined with gynaecological surgery constitutes an alternative approach for endometrial cancer (EC) in obese patients. The present study aimed to assess the current knowledge concerning the safety and efficacy of combining panniculectomy in surgical management of EC. Four electronic databases were systematically searched for articles published up to May 2019. A total of five studies, of which two were non-comparative and three comparative, were included. Meta-analysis of complications among panniculectomy and conventional laparotomy group revealed no difference in either intra- or post-operative complication rates. Moreover, no difference was reported in surgical site complications (p=0.59), while wound breakdown rates were significantly elevated in the laparotomy group (p=0.02). Panniculectomy combined surgery for the management of EC appears to be a safe procedure and results in comparable outcomes compared with conventional laparotomy with regard to complications and improved wound breakdown rates.

Objective: This paper discusses the various surgical techniques and outcomes associated with management of buried penis syndrome. Methods: Presented is the case of a 49-year-old man with morbid obesity, leading to massive panniculus and buried penis. We review our technique for reconstruction of the buried penis and treatment of the overlying large panniculus. Literature search was conducted to review current techniques in correcting buried penis syndrome. Results: The patient underwent a successful panniculectomy with removal of all excess skin and tissue. Thoughtful planning and coordination between plastic surgery and urology were paramount to externalize the penis for an excellent functional and cosmetic result. Conclusions: Management of a buried, hidden penis is complex and difficult. Patients are often obese and have poor hygiene due to the inability to cleanse areas that are entrapped by excessive fat. Following removal of the overhanging panniculus, satisfactory reconstruction of a hidden penis is possible when proper care is taken to adhere the base of the penis to the pubis. Split-thickness skin grafts are often necessary but depend on the viability of the penile skin and whether it is restricting penile length. Complications with wound dehiscence and infection are not uncommon; however, patients generally recover well, are satisfied with results, and are reported to have fully regained urinary and sexual functions following surgical correction of the buried penis.