Breast reduction with the lower pedicle technique: an observational study

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Reduction mammaplasty with the inferior pedicle nipple-areolar technique is widely used in North America but not in Brazil. Its main advantage lies in maintaining the sensitivity of the areola in large mammary ptoses. To describe the preoperative and postoperative characteristics of patients who underwent reduction mammaplasty with the inferior pedicle nipple-areolar technique at the Santa Casa de Campo Grande - MS in 2013.

Method:

We performed interview, physical examination, and review of medical records of patients operated by using this technique at this institution in 2013. Results: Forty patients were evaluated. Their ages ranged from 21 to 68 years, with a mean of 40.62 years. The comorbidities reported were hypertension, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, disc herniation, and anxiety disorder. The average weight of resected tissue was 600.6 g from the right breast and 609.6 g from the left breast. The most common presurgery complaint was low back pain, followed by shoulder pain. The most frequent complications in the early postoperative phase were dehiscence of the mid-point of the strand (10%) and hematoma (5%). The predominant type of anesthesia was general anesthesia. All patients showed benign breast dysplasia in the postoperative histopathological examination.

Conclusion:

The inferior pedicle nipple-areolar technique was adequate for the treatment of major hypertrophies and mammary ptoses.

Keywords:
Breast cancer; Plastic surgery; Reduction mammaplasty; Blood irrigation