title: Mastectomy flap design: the 'waisted teardrop' and a method to reduce the lateral fold.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are various methods to design mastectomy flaps but few are standardized. Lateral skin folds or 'dog ears' are a common, unsightly and uncomfortable consequence following a surgery in overweight patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe a simple technique for designing mastectomy flaps and a method to eliminate the lateral dog ear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The design is easy to apply and may enable standardization. Heuristics of mastectomy design should be standardized and included in surgical training.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Wellington Regional Hospital, Riddiford Street, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mouat
authors.forename: Burton
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps