Fairly trivial translab question

[imnocleaver]

Just out of curiosity...does anyone know why, when obtaining fat for the translab approach, do they always harvest from the stomach?
Is there a clinical reason, such as that stomach fat tends to "get along" with your head better?  Or is it just the most convenient location to get to when you're laying there with your head cracked open?

Thought maybe one of you that had been through this, or someone that has done more research, might be able to shed some light on it.  I know why they harvest the fat, I was just wondering as to the "where".

Thanks!

[opp2]

Having studies anatomy when I was younger I can say very unofficially, that we all store some fat in the abdomen. It is easier to harvest there than other body areas as well. Thighs work when we walk, back stretches when we bend so stitches could pull. The only place we really don't stretch too much moving around is our abs. (I'm talking on the outside.)

that's my highly unscientific guess at it. I've got a little stored there just for this!

[imnocleaver]

Aha.  Good point.  I was thinking maybe it had to do with symmetry -- that if they took it from only one thigh/arm/cheek(!) the other would look different, even if only slightly.

Thanks!

[Kaybo]

Hate to disappoint, but if they take it from the ab - one side - you always have a little indention there.  Since I had surgery so long ago and didn't find this board until after 12 years, I always thought that I was the only one with that problem (I started losing weight), but one day there was a whole thread about it.  I was so happy it wasn't just me!

K

[leapyrtwins]

Cleaver -

your subject line mentioned translab, but I wanted to point out that those of us who had retrosigmoid often have belly fat in our heads also.

I don't know squat about anatomy, but my hunch is that most of us have fat in our abdomens and as you say, it's readily available during the surgery.

Unlike Kaybo, I don't have an indentation on my abdomen, but then again, my abdomen probably isn't flat enough for that to happen

I can't speak for all docs, but mine take the fat from the left side of the abdomen.  They told me they do that in case I'm ever taken to the ER and am unconscious - since my scar is on the left, no one will think I've had my appendix removed.

Jan

[Kaybo]

mine is on the left - unfortunately, it only shows up when I lose weight - no problem now...

K

[JerseyGirl2]

I can't speak for all docs, but mine take the fat from the left side of the abdomen.  They told me they do that in case I'm ever taken to the ER and am unconscious - since my scar is on the left, no one will think I've had my appendix removed.

I think this is the standard procedure that all the surgeons follow ... and for exactly the reason that Jan states -- so the scar can't be confused with an appendectomy.

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[Cheryl R]

I have 2 of the abdomen scars used for fat due to the CSF leak and more surgery.   One on each side.           The ob-gyn who did my hyst this summer really gave them a look and a quick ask why they were there.                I now have 2 more tiny ones and the on in the belly button past the hyst and was thinking too bad couldn't have been positioned right to make a smiley face on the tummy!                                          Cheryl R