Macromastia and bilateralaxillary breast hypertrophy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Breast hypertrophy presents at puberty or thereafter. It is a condition of abnormal enlargement of the breast tissue in excess of the normal proportion. Gland hypertrophy, excessive fatty tissue or a combination of both may cause this condition. Macromastia can be unilateral or bilateral.

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of massive bilateral gigantomastia with huge bilateral hypertrophy of the axillary breasts.

METHODS: Review of the prentation, clinical and investigative findings aswell as the outcome of surgical intervention of a young Nigerian woman with bilateral severe breast hypertrophy and severe hypertrophy of axillary breasts.

RESULT: The patient was a 26-year-old woman who presented with massive swelling of her breasts and bilateral axillary swellings, both of six years duration.. In addition to the breast pathology, she also suffered significant psychological problems. The breast ultrasonography confirmed only diffuse swellings, with no visible lumps or areas of calcifiCation. She had total bilateral excision of the hypertrophied axillary breasts, and bilateral breast amputation with composite nipple-areola complex graft of the normally located breasts.The total weight of the breast tissues removed was 44.8 kilogram.

CONCLUSION: Macromastia of this size is very rare. This case to date is probably the largest in the world literature. Surgical treatment of the condition gives a satisfactory outcome.