REDUCTION MAMMAPLASTY - LONG-TERM EFFICACY, MORBIDITY, AND PATIENT SATISFACTION

This retrospective study was designed to determine if reduction mammap lasty relieved preoperative symptoms in patients with macromastia. Sev en-hundred and eighty women who had reduction mammaplasties between 19 81 and 1992 were surveyed. Responses to questions concerning the preop erative and postoperative symptoms, breast size, complications, and sa tisfaction were elicited. Com pleted surveys were returned by 406 pati ents (52 percent) who had bilateral operations. The mean age at surger y was 38 years, with an average follow-up of 4.7 years. Preoperative c omplaints of shoulder grooving (94 percent), shoulder pains (93 percen t), and back pains (81 percent) were significantly reduced following s urgery (McNemar test, p < 0.0001). Cup size decreased an average of tw o sizes in 72 percent. There were 215 women (53 percent) with postoper ative complications, and although most were minor, 20 (5 percent) requ ired surgical correction. Self-esteem improved in 358 (88 percent), an d most would have surgery again (93 percent) and would encourage other s to have the same (94 percent). Reduction mammaplasty decreases breas t size and significantly relieves preoperative symptoms associated wit h mammary hypertrophy. Relief of symptoms was the most common reason w omen gave for having the operation, and 87 percent were satisfied with the results despite frequent minor postoperative complications.