PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY

A retrospective analysis of pathological findings in 157 female patien ts undergoing breast reduction is presented. In 33 months 295 breasts were reduced. 25.6% of these patients had an abnormal pathology report , but no cases of premalignant disease or breast cancer were found. A postal questionnaire sent to consultant members of the British Associa tion of Plastic Surgeons in 1994 found 89% routinely sent breast reduc tion tissue for pathological study. 42% had seen at least one case of breast cancer reported from this tissue. Recommendations for the use o f pathology in breast reduction surgery are proposed.