The superior pedicle mammaplasty for the treatment of pedunculous breast.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The superior pedicle mammaplasty is a technique frequently employed in the treatment of breast ptosis, associated or not with hypertrophy of the gland, followed by satisfactory results. This technique is normally not indicated in severe breast ptosis (pendulous breast) because of the excessive length of the pedicle supplying nipple-areola-complex (NAC), with the risk of ischemia. In these cases the standard technique is the free-nipple-graft mammaplasty. However, the deepen knowledge about vascular anatomy of the breast and the aptitude to perform superior pedicle mammaplasty, induced the authors to indicate this technique even in these cases improving the aesthetic and functional outcomes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors present a series of 30 patient with pendulous breasts, with sternal notch-nipple distance equal or superior to 32 cm (45 cm maximum; mean value 35.1), treated with the superior pedicle mammaplasty with inverted "T" scar. The results confirm the reliability of superior pedicle for the nipple-areolar complex blood supply, associated with satisfactory aesthetic results due especially to the good breast projection.

CONCLUSIONS: They conclude that superior pedicle technique mammaplasty, even if normally not indicated in these cases, is instead suitable for the treatment of pendulous breasts with great sternal notch-nipple distance, permitting to take advantages of this technique.