breast reduction aesthetic plastic surgery
Many people are surprised to learn that surgical reduction of breast size is a common plastic surgical procedure. Reduction mammaplasty is not done for cosmetic purposes. This operation has as its goal, a significant reduction in the weight of the breast. Patients who choose this surgical procedure are among the happiest patients the plastic surgeon sees during office follow-up visits.
before and after breast reduction surgery Photos-pics
The patient with very large breasts may suffer from a variety of symptoms . The weight of the breast tissue itself would cause problems; but the woman with large breasts finds that the position of this weight causes back strain and discomfort. The bra ultimately becomes an instrument of pain as the bra straps cut into the shoulders. The pull of gravity is now transferred to the shoulders and neck muscle resulting in more pain and muscle spasm. It is not uncommon in the most severe cases to see permanent grooves in the shoulders where the bra straps have exerted their pull. Some patients may even have scars in this area. Even with the best of bra support there may be some overlap and contact between the breast skin and the lower chest wall skin. Especially in the warmer climates this can create a chronic skin irritation called intertriginous dermatitis.
Patients have often been quite self conscious about their breast size and may have suffered from a variety of unwanted attention . This type of suffering is difficult to quantify but it is present to some degree in many patients with enlarged breasts. Breast size often interferes with the woman’s ability to exercise. There is often direct interference with arm motion in certain sports, and there is the pain many of these women experience during jogging or running inspite of the support of the best bras available.
This degree of breast hypertrophy(enlargement) may occur from shortly after the onset of puberty till old age. The operation of reduction mammaplasty is carried out to relieve the patient’s symptoms and should not be confused with the so called “breast lift” or mastopexy procedure which is done for cosmetic purposes. The majority of insurance policies will cover medically indicated breast reduction but the mastopexy procedure is not covered since it’s purpose is cosmetic
Diagnosis and Planning
At your initial office visit the surgeon will take a medical history and perform an examination to determine whether you might benefit from the procedure. All operations carry some risk and the reduction mammaplasty procedure is no exception. There are risks associated with the anesthetic. These risks are usually quite small in the majority of patients but they should be discussed with you during the preoperative visit by the anesthetist.
There will be some bleeding during the operation but usually this is controlled without great difficulty and it is seldom necessary to transfuse patients under going this procedure. There is a possibility of infection in any surgical procedure and because of this risk most surgeons give some antibiotic medication at the time of the operation. This precaution helps but will not always prevent a wound infection. With any incision through all the layers of skin there will be some scar. Usually the scars fade with time but there is a small risk of developing hypertrophic or even keloid scars and this possibility should be discussed with your surgeon prior to operation.
During the examination the surgeon will assess your general health and will examine and often take some measurements of the breasts. S/he will ask about family history of breast disease and may recommend a mammogram prior to operation. The surgeon will attempt to ensure that there are no other breast diseases present and no general health problems that would prevent safe surgery. Discussion about the amount of tissue which will be removed and the possible complications of breast reduction surgery will help you understand the process. Often the surgeon will have printed materials with illustrations of the surgical procedure. Most insurance companies require submission of a photograph of the breasts.
OPERATION
Prior to operation most plastic surgeons will use a special felt pen to mark the breasts. There are several acceptable surgical techniques depending on patient anatomy and the surgeon’s preference. We are going to illustrate the scars usually associated with the technique we use most commonly.
A variety of circumstances may influence the length of hospital stay following breast reduction surgery. Most of our patients come in the morning of their surgery, are admitted to the hospital after the operation and go home the following day after dressings have been changed. On rare occasion patients may still be experiencing nausea from their anesthetic and may be unable to take normal liquids by mouth . These patients may have to stay an extra day. On some occasions patients may recover very quickly and completely from the effects of the anesthetic and if they live close and have reliable friends or relatives we have on occasion sent patients home the afternoon of their operation.
There is great individual variation in the anatomy and the symptoms experienced by women with large breasts. No single surgical technique or method of management will suit everyone who is a candidate to benefit from the operation. Some operative techniques preserve at least the possibility of breast feeding while other techniques eliminate any such possibility. If this is a major concern it should be discussed in detail with your surgeon. This offering is intended only as a general informational guide. If you are contemplating a breast reduction procedure you should discuss your specific situation and wishes with the plastic surgeon you have chosen. “how to choose a plastic surgeon”
July 01 2008 12:41 am | PLASTIC SURGERY