Combination of Superior and Superomedial Pedicle Techniques in Reduction Mammaplasty: A Modified Approach to Increase Upper Pole Fullness.

[OBJECTIVE] Creation of the upper pole fullness is one of the basic goals in reduction mammaplasty. The superior pedicle (S-P) technique brings extra tissue to the upper pole, but folding of a long pedicle can compromise circulation of the nipple-areola complex (NAC). Although the pedicle is not folded in superomedial pedicle (SM-P) technique, it has disadvantage of not bringing extra tissue to the upper pole. We designed a new approach by combining the advantages of S-P and SM-P techniques. Thereby, we aimed to increase upper pole fullness in SM-P or superolateral pedicle (SL-P) mammaplasty.

[METHOD] We operated 20 female patients (study group) with the modified SM-P/SL-P technique for breast reduction between 2010 and 2022. Preoperatively, mean sternal notch-nipple distance was 32.6 ± 2.5 cm. The upper pole fullness was created by using a superiorly based glandular flap, while the SM-P (17 patients) or SL-P (three patients) was used to carry the NAC. We assessed the success rate of the upper pole fullness, compared with two control groups of 40 patients who underwent conventional SM-P mammaplasty (control group I: 20 patients) and who underwent conventional S-P mammaplasty (control group II: 20 patients). Two plastic surgeons, who do not know which technique was used, assessed before and after photographs of 60 patients regarding success rate of upper pole fullness. To evaluate the success rate, the degree of the difference in the upper pole fullness between before and after photographs has been scored 1-10 for each patient. Below 5 was considered as no difference (unsuccessful), 5-7 as moderate difference (average), 8-10 as significant difference (successful). Photographs of the patients had been taken from five different angles: frontal, right and left oblique views, and right and left sides.

[RESULTS] Out of 10, mean score was 8.2 ± 1.2 in study group, 7.1 ± 1.8 in control group I, 8.2 ± 1.5 in control group II. Postoperatively, no major complications were observed, such as glandular necrosis, total NAC necrosis, partial (> 50%) NAC necrosis, skin necrosis, or poor NAC sensitivity in none of 60 patients.

[CONCLUSION] By using this modification, it is possible to increase upper pole fullness in SM-P/SL-P mammaplasty.

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