title: Impact of increasing age on breast reduction surgery: A single centre analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women with hypertrophic breasts suffer for physical and psychological reasons. Breast reduction surgery is a safe procedure that can effectively improve symptoms and quality of life. As most studies have been performed in younger women, little is known about complications and long-term patient satisfaction in elderly women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed complication rates and patient satisfaction in women aged 60 years and older who underwent a bilateral reduction mammaplasty. Patient satisfaction was measured with a validated questionnaire (client satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ)-8). The results obtained were compared to those of a control group including women aged 35 years and younger.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five women met the inclusion criteria in each group. The mean age in the elderly and young was 65.4 and 23.4 years, respectively. Older women had more comorbidities (35 vs. 9, p < 0.05). The average overall resection weight was 1684.4 g with slightly lower resection weights in younger women (1541 vs. 1828 g; p = 0.34). Eight women in the young group and 11 in the elderly developed minor complications (p = 0.56). Two women in the young group had major complications. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in older women, with a mean score of 27.3 in the young and 30.3 in the elderly (maximum score of CSQ-8: 32, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age is not a contraindication for reduction mammaplasty. Breast reduction surgery is a safe procedure in elderly women and leads to even higher patient satisfaction. Level of evidence: IV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. Electronic address: david.braig@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Braig
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Eisenhardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Penna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000601:surgery*; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Breast reduction surgery; Elderly women; Increasing age; Reduction mammaplasty; Reduction mammoplasty