eMedicine Specialties > Plastic Surgery > Breast
Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle: Treatment
Updated: Aug 20, 2008
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Medical treatment is often dictated by insurance companies, although no effective nonsurgical treatment for enlarged breasts exists. A special supportive brassiere may offer some relief but often increases the pressure on the shoulders.
Surgical Therapy
Bilateral reduction mammaplasty is the treatment of choice to alleviate the symptoms from mammary hypertrophy. The choice of reduction mammaplasty technique varies, but the expected outcomes are similar. The vertical bipedicle reduction mammaplasty is a reliable, reproducible, and aesthetically pleasing procedure.
Preoperative Details
In addition to a history and physical examination, the initial consultation involves a discussion of the risks and benefits of the vertical bipedicle reduction mammaplasty procedure. These risks are not unique to this technique and can occur with any of the reduction techniques.
Some of these risks include infection, hematoma, and delayed wound healing with possible dehiscence of the incisions. Impaired vascularity of tissues can result in the loss of skin or nipple-areola complex. This can lead to fatty necrosis of the breast tissue and may result in lumpiness of the breast tissue.
Scar formation is thoroughly discussed with the patient. The inverted T scar is often schematically demonstrated to the patient during this meeting. African American patients are told about the possibility of hypertrophic scars and even keloid formation.
Preauthorization from the insurance company is usually required. This may involve submission of preoperative photographs that demonstrate the symptoms such as shoulder grooving and intertrigo. Mammograms and blood work are ordered as appropriately indicated.
Before coming to the operating room, the appropriate surgical markings are drawn with a marking pen with the patient in the sitting or standing position. These markings are essentially the same for the inferior pedicle Wise pattern reduction. The sternal notch is marked in the midline. From this point, the midclavicular point is marked. This usually is about 7 to 7.5 cm from the midline. A straight line is drawn from this point to the nipple on each side. This line represents the breast meridian or the axis on which the breast reduction will be based. A midline vertical line is made from the sternal notch to the umbilicus as a reference point.
The inframammary fold (IMF) is then also marked. This point is transposed to the anterior breast on the previously drawn meridian. This is the site of the advancement of the nipple and is approximately 21 cm from the sternal notch. In tall or mature women, this measurement can be longer.
The vertical extent of the medial and lateral flaps is then marked. This determines the amount of skin that will be excised. The length is typically 7 cm (5 cm from the IMF to the lower extent of the nipple-areola complex) and is drawn inferiorly from the planned areolar margin on either side of the meridian. This should encompass the entire nipple-areola complex. The new nipple-areola complex is marked and is 42 mm in diameter. A line is then drawn laterally and medially from the end of the vertical lines and is usually perpendicular to this line. It extends to involve all the breast tissue medially and laterally. A horizontal line joins the end of these lines at the inframammary crease. Careful planning is important for correct nipple placement and bilateral symmetry.
Intraoperative Details
Once the markings are in place, the patient is brought to the operating room. Prophylactic antibiotics may be given at this point. The patient is then scrubbed, draped, and prepared for surgery.
Once the patient is supine on the operating room table, the pedicle is measured and marked. The typical width of the pedicle is 8-10 cm. The pedicle is thicker and wider inferiorly and tends to be narrower superiorly. The nipple-areola complex is circumscribed with a 42-mm template. The skin superior and inferior to the nipple-areola complex is de-epithelialized. This marks the extent of the vertical bipedicle, which will be the basis of the blood supply to the nipple-areola complex.
The breast tissue lateral and medial to the pedicle is incised with a cautery unit. The lateral segment of tissue is removed through the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and breast tissue down to the pectoralis fascia. In a similar manner, the medial segment is removed down to the pectoralis fascia. At this point, the breast tissue above the nipple-areola complex can be removed, leaving a bridge of dermal tissue for the blood supply. Some surgeons leave the entire full thickness of breast tissue in the superior pole, and this portion is tucked and folded. All of the excised breast tissue is weighed. The wound is irrigated with saline and hemostasis is obtained. The flaps are then prepared for wound closure.
The medial and lateral flaps are approximated to each other in the meridian at the inframammary crease line. The nipple-areola complex is brought out through the previously marked keyhole, and a 5-0 Monocryl suture is used to approximate the 12-o'clock position of the nipple to the 12-o'clock position of the keyhole. The breast tissue above the Monocryl suture is typically folded in for the closure. Skin staples are then temporarily used to line up the wound edges. Interrupted 3-0 Monocryl sutures are then used for the subdermal closure. This is followed by a running subcuticular 4-0 Prolene suture to complete the closure.
The nipple-areola complex is closed with interrupted 5-0 Monocryl sutures followed by a running subcuticular 4-0 Prolene suture. The contralateral breast is addressed in a similar manner. At the end of the procedure, symmetry and good capillary refill of the nipple-areola complexes are achieved. Maintaining the patient's normal temperature and adequate fluids and using care in handling the pedicle during the procedure prevents undue risk to the viability of the nipple.
Once the procedure is complete, Steri-strips and light dressings are applied. The chest wall is then wrapped with elastic bandages (eg, Ace bandage).
Postoperative Details
Postoperative care after breast reduction surgery has evolved over the last few years. The wound is dressed with a bulky gauze dressing and then the chest is wrapped with an elastic bandage. Some surgeons place the patient directly into a bra.
Postoperative pain management can be achieved with either oral analgesics or with pain pumps. Small catheters are placed in each breast through a small puncture site. The pain pump delivers small constant doses of local anesthetics directly into the wound for a period of about 48-72 hours. These pumps are becoming more and more popular because they limit the amount of narcotics that patients need in the immediate postoperative period. In general, patients are instructed to rest and not lift anything heavy for a few weeks.
Follow-up
The patient is instructed to return to the office on day 2 after the surgery. At this visit, the original dressing is removed and the wound is inspected. The dressings are changed, and the patient typically can get the wound wet at this stage. After the wound has been wet, it is dried and topical antibiotic ointment is applied to the incisions. The patient returns at day 7 postsurgery and then at day 10. Sutures are removed at day 10.
Once the incisions appear to be healing, long-term visits are planned. The patient is asked to return at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postsurgery. During this period, postoperative photographs are taken and outcomes recorded. Outcomes include documentation of the aesthetic result, long-term effects of gravity, scar maturation, nipple sensation, relief of preoperative symptoms, and patient satisfaction. Mammography, to establish a baseline for future breast cancer screening, can be repeated several months after surgery.
Complications
- Hematoma
- Seroma
- Infection
- Wound dehiscence
- Fat necrosis
- Nipple and/or pedicle necrosis
- Loss of sensitivity of the nipple
- Hypopigmentation of the nipple
- Inability to breastfeed
- Hypertrophic scars
- Keloid scars
- Marked lower breast fullness
More on Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle |
| Overview: Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle |
| Workup: Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle |
 Treatment: Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle |
| Follow-up: Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle |
| Multimedia: Breast Reduction, Vertical Bipedicle |
| References |
| « Previous Page | Next Page » |
References
McKissock PK. Reduction mammaplasty with a vertical dermal flap. Plast Reconstr Surg. Mar 1972;49(3):245-52. [Medline].
STROMBECK JO. Mammaplasty: report of a new technique based on the two-pedicle procedure. Br J Plast Surg. Apr 1960;13:79-90. [Medline].
Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank Statistics. American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. 2007;[Full Text].
Rohrich RJ, Gosman AA, Brown SA, Tonadapu P, Foster B. Current Preferences for Breast Reduction Techniques: A Survey of Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons 2002. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 2004;114(7):1724-1733. [Full Text].
Slezak S, Dellon AL. Quantitation of sensibility in gigantomastia and alteration following reduction mammaplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg. Jun 1993;91(7):1265-9. [Medline].
Schnur PL, Schnur DP, Petty PM, et al. Reduction mammaplasty: an outcome study. Plast Reconstr Surg. Sep 1997;100(4):875-83. [Medline].
Cunningham BL, Gear AJ, Kerrigan CL, et al. Analysis of breast reduction complications derived from the BRAVO study. Plast Reconstr Surg. May 2005;115(6):1597-604. [Medline].
Godwin Y, Wood SH, O'Neill TJ. A comparison of the patient and surgeon opinion on the long-term aesthetic outcome of reduction mammaplasty. Br J Plast Surg. Sep 1998;51(6):444-9. [Medline].
Chao JD, Memmel HC, Redding JF, et al. Reduction mammaplasty is a functional operation, improving quality of life in symptomatic women: a prospective, single-center breast reduction outcome study. Plast Reconstr Surg. Dec 2002;110(7):1644-52; discussion 1653-4. [Medline].
Glatt BS, Sarwer DB, O'Hara DE, et al. A retrospective study of changes in physical symptoms and body image after reduction mammaplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg. Jan 1999;103(1):76-82; discussion 83-5. [Medline].
Jaspars JJ, Posma AN, van Immerseel AA, et al. The cutaneous innervation of the female breast and nipple-areola complex: implications for surgery. Br J Plast Surg. Jun 1997;50(4):249-59. [Medline].
Schnur PL, Schnur DP, Petty PM, et al. Reduction mammaplasty: an outcome study. Plast Reconstr Surg. Sep 1997;100(4):875-83. [Medline].
Scott GR, Carson CL, Borah GL. Maximizing outcomes in breast reduction surgery: a review of 518 consecutive patients. Plast Reconstr Surg. Nov 2005;116(6):1633-9; discussion 1640-1. [Medline].
Further Reading
Keywords
breast reduction, vertical bipedicle, breast surgery, breast hypertrophy, large breasts, bilateral breast reduction, breast reduction surgery, breast reduction procedure, nipple-areola complex, NAC, inframammary fold, IMF, nipple-areolar complex, bilateral reduction mammaplasty, hypertrophic breast, hyperplastic breasts, vertical dermal flaps, breast reduction, vertical bipedicle
