Long-term sensory recovery of nipple-areola complex following superolateral pedicled reduction mammaplasty

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Nov;132(5):735e-742e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3182a3bf05.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate nipple-areola complex sensation at 48-month follow-up following superolateral pedicled reduction mammaplasty using the pressure-specified sensory device.

Methods: Data regarding nipple-areola complex sensation for static and moving one- and two-point discrimination were collected from 30 active group hypertrophic-breasted patients undergoing superolateral pedicled reduction mammaplasty preoperatively, at 6 months, and at 48 months, and from a control group of 30 unoperated women with normal-sized breasts. Breast volume was assessed using the BREAST-V instrument.

Results: For the nipple, static one-point discrimination showed that mean pressure thresholds for the active group at 48 months were 4.10 and 4.19 times higher than preoperatively and in the control group (p<0.001), respectively; moving one-point discrimination showed that mean pressure thresholds for the active group at 48 months were 4.08 and 3.23 times higher than preoperatively and in the control group (p<0.001), respectively. For the areola, static one-point discrimination showed that mean pressure thresholds in the active group at 48 months were 4.12 and 4.83 times higher than preoperatively and in the control group (p<0.001), respectively; moving one-point discrimination showed that mean pressure thresholds from the active group at 48 months were 4.56 and 4.46 times higher than preoperatively and in the control group (p<0.001), respectively.

Conclusions: Despite a slight worsening at 6 months after surgery, patients who had undergone superolateral pedicled reduction mammaplasty showed significant nipple-areola complex sensibility reduction at 48-month follow-up. Although the nipple-areola complex of hypertrophic-breasted patients was seen to be nonsignificantly less sensitive than normal-sized breasts, a significant decrease of sensation was observed following reduction mammaplasty.

Clinical question/level of evidence: Therapeutic, II.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Breast / innervation*
  • Breast / surgery
  • Breast Diseases / pathology
  • Breast Diseases / surgery*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertrophy
  • Mammaplasty*
  • Middle Aged
  • Recovery of Function
  • Sensation
  • Surgical Flaps / innervation*