ANA Discussion Forum
Pre-Treatment Options => Pre-Treatment Options => Topic started by: madison on January 28, 2011, 04:16:13 pm
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hello. i was doing some research and read that when you have translab surgery they take fat from your
abdomen to fill in the space in your skull? is this true and have all of you had this done? do they do it during the surgery or before?
i had a kidney transplant and the kidney is in my abdomen. you better believe i'd be writing "not this side!" with a sharpie on my skin.
then i thought, wow..maybe i wouldn't have that little pooch that i can't get rid of no matter how much dieting and exercise i do!
..and also i guess if someone called me a "fathead" i'd have to agree with them! gotta laugh at all this or else i'll cry ;)
i was just curious as i had never heard of this before. thks. for your help in advance.
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Madison ~
Although the 'belly-fat graft' is a common procedure in AN removal surgery - not every surgeon uses this method. My neurosurgeon used titanium mesh, secured with tiny screws, to secure the area of the skull that was removed for the surgery. Obviously, if the belly-fat graft might prove problematic, the doctor would go to 'plan B' - the titanium mesh. Unfortunately, the amount of fat taken from the abdomen is too small to make a noticeable difference in your girth. As you might surmise, almost every AN patient that undergoes this procedure asks the doctor to take 'all he needs', which, realistically, isn't very much.
Jim
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Madison -
it's a doctor preference thing.
I have the "works" in my head - belly fat, titanium mesh, a titanium plate, and titanium screws plus they put back the little "window" of my skull that they removed during my surgery.
Jan
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Hello from a "fat head"! You're right - better to be able to laugh about the whole thing!
And unfortunately, they don't take enough to make most of us happy, although I did ask prior to the surgery if they could just take it all out while they were there. I'm sure they get that request a lot! ;) They do it all at the same time, so you won't have to worry about two separate trips to the hospital. According to my operative report, while my neurosurgeon was working on my head, my neurotologist was doing my liposuction. They're so efficient!
Lori
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I'm a fat head. They only take a little bit, so unfortunately it doesn't make a difference. The incision is small on opposite side from your appendix (so they won't confuse it in the future).... The only bothersome thing for me, was that it really itched while it was healing...
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The fathead club rules! It was the most painful part of the surgery for me. I guess all bellies are different, I would call mine a 2.5 inch scar with a divet. I'm pretty sure the fat up there makes me warmer and causes wt loss! I've lost nearly 30 pounds since 10-09. But my biggest question that I have never asked is, does it stay forever or dissolve?