Reduction Mammaplasty in a Single Central Block

Abstract

Many techniques for reduction mammoplasty have been described in the literature. Authors may emphasize the importance of the final breast shape, the size of the incision, or both. This chapter describes the use of a single central block of mammary tissue and the nipple-areolar complex (NAC), which was dissected from the skin and based on the superior pedicle, for reduction mammoplasty and mastopexy. Our retrospective study evaluated patients who underwent reduction mammoplasty using this single central block technique from July 1985 to December 2015 by a single surgeon. A total of 2005 procedures were performed using this technique: 1531 reduction mammoplasties and 474 mastopexies. The mean patient age was 46 years; the mean weight of resected tissue was 350 g per side. Fat necrosis on the distal area of the flap was observed in 45 patients (2.24%), hematoma was observed in 5 patients (0.24%), and seroma occurred in 82 patients (4.08%). Surgical revisions were undertaken in 95 patients (4.73%). Overall, this technique allowed the surgeon to easily form a good cone shape of the breast, reposition the NAC, and preserve its vascularization and sensation without tension on the skin flap sutures, thus resulting in smaller scars.