Breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure which involves the reduction in the size of breasts by excising fat, skin, and glandular tissue; it may also involve a procedure to counterract drooping of the breasts. As with breast augmentation, this procedure is performed most often on women, but may also be performed on men afflicted by gynecomastia. A cardiothoracic surgeon performs a mitral valve replacement at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. ... A pregnant womans breasts. ... For other uses, see Fat (disambiguation). ... In zootomy and dermatology, skin is an organ of the integumentary system made up of multiple layers of epithelial tissues that guard underlying muscles and organs. ... A gland is an organ in an animals body that synthesizes a substance for release such as hormones, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). ... Biological tissue is a collection of interconnected cells that perform a similar function within an organism. ... A breast implant is a prosthesis used to enlarge the size of a womans breasts (known as breast augmentation) for cosmetic reasons, to reconstruct the breast (e. ... Diverse women. ... A man is a male human. ... Gynecomastia (American English) or gynaecomastia (British English) is the development of abnormally large breasts on males. ...

Breast reduction surgery is oriented toward women with large, pendulous breasts, since the weight of their breasts may cause neck, back, shoulder, circulation, and/or breathing problems. The weight may also cause discomfort as a result of brassiere straps abrading or irritating the skin. Even if physical discomfort is not a problem, some women feel uncomfortable with the large size of their breasts in proportion to the rest of their bodies. Reduction mammoplasty affords the recipient smaller, lighter, and firmer breasts. The surgeon may also reduce the size of the areola or nipples. The neck is the part of the body on many limbed vertebrates that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. ... Look up Back in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Woman wearing a brassiere. ... Cross section of the breast of a human female. ... Typical human female nipple and areola. ...

Although not advocated as a cancer risk reducing procedure, a woman's risk of subsequently developing breast cancer will be reduced proportionately to the amount of breast tissue left. It is recommended that patients receive new baseline mammograms 6-8 months after breast reduction to accommodate expected radiographic changes and give a new basis to compare future imaging studies to. Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. ...

Except in unusual cases, this procedure is performed on individuals with fully developed breasts. It is not recommended for women who intend to breastfeed, as it subtsantially impairs the likelihood of success (one study showed the median duration of exclusive breastfeeding dropping to 5 days, compared to 3 months in the control group^[1] ). Doctors almost always perform breast reductions while the patient is under general anesthesia. During pre-operative visits, the doctor and patient may decide on new (usually higher) positions for the areolas and nipples. Wean redirects here: see #Weaning. ... Pediatric polysomnography patient Childrens Hospital (Saint Louis), 2006 A patient or invalid is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. ... This article or section may be confusing for some readers, and should be edited to be clearer. ...

The most common procedure involves an anchor-shaped incision which circles the areola (aka. "Wise-pattern" reduction). The incision extends downward, following the natural curve of the breast. Excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin is removed. Next, the nipple and areola are moved into their new position. New findings about the breast anatomy^[2] highlight the risk of this procedure for women who intend to breastfeed. Recently there has been increasing interest in limited scar techniques which leave only a vertical or vertical with a shorter horizontal scar. The anatomy of the human breast was fundamentally revised in 2005, overturning assumptions held since 1840. ...

In some extreme cases, the areola and nipple may need to be completely removed for relocation and replaced as a skin graft (aka "free nipple graft"). In these cases, sensation from the areola area will be lost.

Patients may take a few weeks for initial recovery, however it may take from six months to a year for the body to completely adjust to the new breast size. Some women may experience discomfort during their initial menstruation following the surgery due to the breasts swelling. The menstrual cycle is the periodic change in a womans body that occurs every month between puberty and menopause and that relates to reproduction. ...

Scarring from this procedure may be extensive and can be permanent. Initially the scars are lumpy and red, but gradually subside into their final smaller sizes as thin white lines. Though permanent, the surgeon can generally make the scars inconspicuous to the point that even low-cut tops may be worn without visible scars. Other common problems include: asymmetry, delayed wound healing, altered nipple sensation, fluid retention in the breast, altered erogenous function, late changes in shape and recurrent ptosis (breasts) (drooping.) Otto Skorzeny with a facial scar caused by fencing Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after destruction of some of the dermis. ... When describing breasts, degrees of ptosis can be described in terms of the nipples location relative to the inframammary crease, the fold where the underside of the breast meets the chest. ...

References

1. ^ Souto, GC et al. (2003) The impact of breast reduction surgery on brestfeeding. J Hum Lact. 19(1):43-49
2. ^ D.T. Ramsay et al (2005) Anatomy of the lactating human breast redefined with ultrasound imaging. J. Anat. 206:525-534

See also

• Breast implant
• Breast reconstruction
• Breast lift
• List of breast reduction recipients

A breast implant is a prosthesis used to enlarge the size of a womans breasts (known as breast augmentation) for cosmetic reasons, to reconstruct the breast (e. ... Breast reconstruction is the rebuilding of a breast, usually in women. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

External links

• In-depth discussion of reduction mammaplasty, including illustrations from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Clinical Outcomes in Reduction Mammaplasty from the Mayo Clinic (PDF file)
• Breast Reduction information and articles by Board Certified Plastic Surgeons