Mammaplasty: Shape,volume, and scar size

Recently many mammaplasty techniques have been presented with special attention paid to the resulting scar's size and its position. The surgeon should try to hid the scar, and if the inverted T incision is used, its horizontal branch should be as short as possible and kept in the breast area. Neverthelss, excessive concern about the final scar size should not interfere with the final results of the mammaplasty as far as shape, volume and lasting results are concerned. The author presents his experience in mammaplasty with respect to the volume, the shape, and the scar size interrelationships.     

Mastopexy for breast ptosis: Utility outcomes of population preferences

BACKGROUND:

Breast ptosis can occur with aging, and after weight loss and breastfeeding. Mastopexy is a procedure used to modify the size, contour and elevation of sagging breasts without changing breast volume. To gain more knowledge on the health burden of living with breast ptosis requiring mastectomy, validated measures can be used to compare it with other health states.

OBJECTIVE:

To quantify the health state utility assessment of individuals living with breast ptosis who could benefit from a mastopexy procedure; and to determine whether utility scores vary according to participant demographics.

METHODS:

Utility assessments using a visual analogue scale (VAS), time trade-off (TTO) and standard gamble (SG) methods were used to obtain utility scores for breast ptosis, monocular blindness and binocular blindness from a sample of the general population and medical students. Linear regression and the Student’s t test were used for statistical analysis; P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

RESULTS:

Mean (± SD) measures for breast ptosis in the 107 volunteers (VAS: 0.80±0.14; TTO: 0.87±0.18; SG: 0.90±0.14) were significantly different (P<0.0001) from the corresponding measures for monocular blindness and binocular blindness. When compared with a sample of the general population, having a medical education demonstrated a statistically significant difference in being less likely to trade years of life and less likely to gamble risk of a procedure such as a mastopexy. Race and sex were not statistically significant independent predictors of risk acceptance.

DISCUSSION:

For the first time, the burden of living with breast ptosis requiring surgical intervention was determined using validated metrics (ie, VAS, TTO and SG). The health burden of living with breast ptosis was found to be comparable with that of breast hypertrophy, unilateral mastectomy, bilateral mastectomy, and cleft lip and palate. Furthermore, breast ptosis was considered to be closer to ‘perfect health’ than monocular blindness, binocular blindness, facial disfigurement requiring face transplantation surgery, unilateral facial paralysis and severe lower extremity lymphedema.

CONCLUSIONS:

Quantifying the health burden of living with breast ptosis requiring mastopexy indicated that is comparable with other breast-related conditions (breast hypertrophy and bilateral mastectomy). Numerical values have been assigned to this health state (VAS: 0.80±0.14; TTO: 0.87±0.18; and SG: 0.90±0.14), which can be used to form comparisons with the health burden of living with other disease states.     

Pyoderma gangrenosum: a challenging complication of bilateral mastopexy

A case of pyoderma gangrenosum progressively developing after bilateral mastopexy at the surgical site is described. The described case was successfully treated with corticosteroids, the application of the dermal regeneration template Integra and autologous skin grafts. This approach was able to save the patient's life and to generate a high-quality aesthetical outcome. The article reported the case, reviewed the literature of pyoderma gangrenosum related to mastopexy or augmentation mammoplasty and discussed the use of a dermal regeneration template to optimise aesthetical results after reconstructive surgery.     

The Safety of Pedicles in Breast Reduction and Mastopexy Procedures

Nipple necrosis is a potential complication of breast reduction and mastopexy procedures that can be prevented if the surgeon is acquainted with the arterial blood supply to the breast, particularly the nipple–areolar complex (NAC). A review of the latest research on this with its clinical application is given.     

Mammoplasty using liposuction and the periareolar incision

The major dilemma of reduction mammoplasty and mastopexy has been the difficult choice between a procedure that yields an ideal shape of the breast versus the size of the scar. With our technique, selected breasts can now be reduced through liposuction and the mastopexy performed through a periareolar incision, resulting in virtually imperceptible scarring.     

乳房下垂矫正术中的乳房悬吊结构重建

目的总结用乳房悬吊结构重建方法矫正轻、中度乳房下垂的临床经验。方法通过乳晕边缘切口，去除上半腺体后松弛的浅筋膜深层，上提腺体至正常位置并固定于深筋膜，腺体浅面按真皮乳罩原理进行悬吊并适当切除乳晕周边多余皮肤，或采用聚丙烯单丝网片对腺体进行悬吊，术后腺体周围形成强大的纤维粘连，从而重建乳腺的悬吊支持结构。同时进行腺体的适当折叠塑形或置入乳房假体增加丰满程度。结果共行轻、中度下垂32例手术（其中单纯悬吊10例，悬吊同时假体隆乳20例，采用聚丙烯网片悬吊2例），手术时间90～150min，平均110min。术中出血量30～100ml，平均58ml。均未发生乳头乳晕坏死感觉障碍等并发症。术后随访6～12个月，平均11．3月，术后外形改善满意率90．6％（29／32）。结论对于不伴腺体肥大的乳房轻、中度下垂，采用乳房悬吊结构重建，是一种创伤相对小，安全，有效的矫正方法。     

Application and modification of the circular skin excision and pursestring procedures

The concept of the circular excision is not new. However, it was complicated by excessive postoperative areolar stretching and scar hypertrophy. The Benelli principle of a permanent subdermal pursestring suture overcame these drawbacks. We present our experiences with the circular skin excision for mastopexy procedures and for circular skin incision for total mastectomy and immediate reconstruction.