Home | BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY: THE BASICS

BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY: THE BASICS

So the most common reason folks have a breast reduction based on our patient’s survey and other clinical data is a functional one, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and sometimes cervical ( posterior headaches). This probably goes a long way to explain why consistently they are considered to be amongst the most satisfied patients postoperatively with their surgery.

 

BE AWARE OF BREAST REDUCTION SHORTCUTS OUTSIDE SYDNEY

So here are the basics, think of the breast as three components. Skin envelope, breast parenchyma and nipple areolar complex. Any reduction and lift surgery would have to address all these three components. Ignore anyone who says liposuction alone can give a reliable and consistent outcome for breast reduction. They are usually not surgeons and have no appreciation or the surgical skillset required. With that out of the way let’s talk a bit more details.

 

SYDNEY’S RENOWNED PLASTIC SURGEON EXPLAINS BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY

The skin envelope incision may be a classic Wise pattern, thin inverted T, Anchor incision or a short Scar or vertical pattern incision, think of a lollipop as its commonly called. One way to think of it is that we are trading off the larger Wise pattern incision for a more initially irregular scar. Then there is the parenchyma and nipple to think about. This refers to the part of the breast that is preserved to carry the nipple along with its arterial and venous circulation to the new position (Fig 1)

Figure 1 Pedicles of breast from Farhadieh et al Plastic & Reconstructive Wiley & Blackwell 2015 Hall-Findlay E Breast Reduction Surgery.

 

In general the classic Wise pattern incision was made with an inferior pedicle and the short scar incisions with a superior pedicle in the case of Lejour and Medial or Supero-Medial in the case of the Hall-Findaly reduction and lift. These basic principles apply to all breast lifts where minimal breast tissue is removed but breasts are coned in the same way.

 

The most important and dreaded complication is nipple areolar complex loss which can happen in approximately 0.9% of the population. This is generally due to venous insufficiency rather than arterial insufficiency and can be related to how low the nipples are in relation to the sternal notch prior to surgery and how high they are lifted.

 

Wound breakdown, loss of sensation, loss of lactation capacity and asymmetry are among other complications of this surgery. The surgery itself takes approximately 3 hours and is an overnight admission in my practice in either Sydney or Canberra.

 

For more information, see our before and after galleries and further reading on breast reduction surgery.

 

Speak to us for more information

Contact Panthea’s Sydney or Canberra clinics today to book your initial consultation or have your questions answered by our dedicated team of surgical professionals.

Our Sydney clinic is conveniently located in Darling Point while our Canberra clinic is located in National Capital Private Hospital.

 

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Dr Ross Farhadieh

Dr Ross Farhadieh

Dr Farhadieh is an internationally renowned Australian qualified and trained Plastic Surgery. He holds fellowship qualifications in Plastic Surgery from Royal Australian College of Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons (England) as well the European Board of Plastic Reconstructive Aesthetic Surgery. He has multiple clinical subspecialty fellowships in Cosmetic, Pediatrics as well as Microsurgery from World Leading institutes in London.

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