Surgical reconstruction of tuberous breasts.

[BACKGROUND] Tuberous breast deformity is a rare entity affecting young women bilaterally or unilaterally. It requires surgical correction, depending on the severity of the clinical expression, because of its aesthetic appearance. Since the presentation of the malformation by Rees and Aston in 1976, many surgical procedures have been developed, but the deformity still is one of the most challenging congenital breast anomalies.

[METHODS] Between September 1999 and September 2005, eight patients with tuberous breast deformity underwent surgery in our department. A two-stage approach was used to manage 14 tuberous breasts. We used a combination of anatomic textured tissue expanders with magnetic injection sites and silicone gel implants. Other reconstructive procedures such as mastopexy, breast reduction, and areolar reduction can be considered.

[RESULTS] Our long-term results, with a maximum follow-up of 6 years, were satisfying. They have been uniformly good and compare favorably with those presented in the literature when the use of other methods.

[CONCLUSIONS] This two-stage approach is a relatively simple, safe, and technically easy procedure that is easy to learn. The results achieved with this approach seem to be reliable and gratifying.