An Original Suprapannicular Incision Technique for Cesarean Delivery in the Morbidly Obese Parturient

Obese patients are at an increased risk of cesarean delivery and its associated wound complications. We present an alternative incision technique for obese parturients that avoids making a Pfannenstiel incision under the panniculus while still providing access to the lower uterine segment.

For our technique, an assistant uses Allis clamps to exert caudal traction on the patient's panniculus and a transverse skin incision is made under the umbilicus, 3 cm below the line joining the anterosuperior iliac crests. On entry to the abdominal cavity, a wound retractor is placed to optimize access to the lower uterine segment so that a low transverse uterine incision can be made.

We have used this incision technique on 17 obese patients with no incidence of intraoperative complications, no requirement to perform a vertical hysterotomy incision, and no postoperative wound infections.

Our technique is a feasible alternative incision for obese parturients that avoids making a subpannicular Pfannenstiel incision and still allows for good access to the lower uterine segment.