title: Suspensory Ligament of the Mammary Gland: A Case Report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ligamentous system of the breast comprises a deep component, connecting the breast to the chest wall, and a superficial component, attached to the dermis and defining the breast contour.
  
  
  METHODS
  A female patient with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer and presenting a bilateral fibrocystic mastopathy was submitted to surgical treatment with bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intra-operatively, a strong ligament between the clavicle and the upper pole of the breast was identified. In addition, there was bilateral absence of the suspensory ligament of the axilla.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Variations on the anatomy of the ligamentous system of the breast can represent alterations during the embryonic development of the breast and may have an important impact in the development of breast ptosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This journal requires that the authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Unit, Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia, Rua Conceição Fernandes, 4434-502, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. costa.santos.diana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diana Costa
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Unit, Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia, Rua Conceição Fernandes, 4434-502, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Unit, Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia, Rua Conceição Fernandes, 4434-502, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: João Matos
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Unit, Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia, Rua Conceição Fernandes, 4434-502, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Luz Barroso
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Unit, Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Department, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia, Rua Conceição Fernandes, 4434-502, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: Horácio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D063405:Anatomic Variation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008022:Ligaments; D016462:Mammaplasty; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: Breast ligaments; Breast ptosis; Suspensory ligaments