Description

Breast reduction, in the form of mammoplasty or
mastopexy, is usually performed for cosmetic
reasons, or in order to relieve size-related symptoms
and social embarrassment. It is a commonly
performed surgical procedure, with 114,250 women
having the operation performed in the United States
in 2005 (American Society of Plastic Surgeons). In
the United Kingdom, access to such surgery is
restricted within the National Health Service (NHS)
for economic reasons. Patients wishing to have such
surgery funded though the NHS must first seek the
approval of the Cosmetic Exclusion Panel.
Therefore, in the UK, the vast majority of cases are
performed in the private sector, rather than in the
NHS.
A number of techniques may be employed in
breast reduction. The WISE pattern reduction is one
of the more popular techniques. The neurovascular
supply to the nipple-areola complex is preserved on
an inferior pedicle. For a mastopexy (breast lift) the
goal is to remove excess skin while maintaining
volume such that the bra cup size remains the same
but the shape of the breast is changed. For a
mammoplasty, glandular breast tissue and fatty tissue
are removed as well as skin, resulting in a change of
shape and a reduction in volume of the breast.