title: Reduction mammaplasty for symptomatic macromastia: which factors influence the post-operative outcome?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the long-term results and patient's satisfaction in reduction mammaplasties for symptomatic mammary hypertrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2002 to 2008 a total of 92 women underwent bilateral mammaplasty for a symptomatic macromastia at our department. Three different surgical techniques for reduction mammaplasty were used (Bostwick, Stroembeck, Ribeiro). Patients were re-contacted in 2009 and asked to complete a self-assessment survey in order to asses their satisfaction with the post-operative symptom-relief and the overall outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  90.5 % of all patients stated, that they would retrospectively re-opt for a reduction mammaplasty. Preoperative patients' age, BMI and severity of macromasty-related symptoms were found to be factors positively correlated with a high post-interventional satisfaction with the achieved symptom-relief and the overall outcome. No correlation was found between the amount of intra-operatively resected breast tissue and the post-operative patients' assessment. Patients' assessment regarding the achieved post-operative symptom relief was comparable for all three surgical techniques, however the overall outcome rating for both bi-pedicled approaches (Stroembeck and Ribeiro) was higher compared to the mono-pedicled Bostwick technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduction mammaplasty for patients with a mammary hypertrophy and somatic symptoms could offer a causal and effective treatment. The predictive factors for a high patients' satisfaction identified in this study could become a valuable tool in the pre-operative patients counceling and their role should be further evaluated prospectively. The use of bi-pedicled surgical techniques seems to favor a high post-operative patients' assessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Saarland University Hospital, Kirrbergerstrasse 100, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany. julia.radosa@uks.eu
authors.forename: Julia C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Radosa
authors.forename: Marc P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Radosa
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Russalina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mavrova
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Camara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult