title: Medial pedicle reduction mammaplasty for severe mammary hypertrophy.
abstract: Current options in reduction mammaplasty for severe mammary hypertrophy include amputation with free-nipple graft as well as the inferior pedicle and bipedicle techniques. Complications of these procedures include nipple-areola necrosis, insensitivity, and hypopigmentation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether medial pedicle reduction mammaplasty can minimize these complications. Twenty-three patients with severe mammary hypertrophy were studied. The medial pedicle successfully transposed the nipple-areola complex in 44 of 45 breasts (98 percent). Mean change in nipple position was 17.1 cm, and mean weight of tissue removed was 1604 g per breast. Nipple-areola sensation was retained in 43 of 44 breasts (98 percent) using a medial pedicle. Hypopigmentation was not observed, and central breast projection was restored in all patients. This study has demonstrated that medial pedicle reduction mammaplasty is a safe and reliable technique and should be given primary consideration in cases of severe mammary hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. maurice@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Nahabedian
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: McGibbon
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Manson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged