Why Choose the Septum-Supero-Medial (SSM)-Based Mammaplasty in Patients with Severe Breast Ptosis: An Anatomical Point of View

Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2018 Dec;42(6):1439-1446. doi: 10.1007/s00266-018-1189-8. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Abstract

Nipple-areola complex (NAC) loss is one of the most devastating complications of mastopexy or breast reduction, and it requires revisional procedures with poor aesthetic outcome. In high-risk patients, a free nipple graft could be a choice, but it is associated with the same aesthetic concerns for both patients and surgeons. We report our experience with the septum-supero-medial-based mammaplasty to treat 22 patients with severe breast ptosis (nipple-to-sternal-notch distance > 40 cm). No NAC loss was observed. The study highlights surgical technical details and discusses anatomical considerations to justify the successful result. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Keywords: Breast ptosis; Breast reduction; Mammaplasty; Mastopexy; NAC loss; Septum-supero-medial.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Breast / abnormalities*
  • Breast / surgery
  • Cohort Studies
  • Esthetics
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Hypertrophy / diagnosis
  • Hypertrophy / surgery*
  • Mammaplasty / adverse effects
  • Mammaplasty / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nipples / surgery*
  • Patient Safety
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Postoperative Complications / physiopathology
  • Postoperative Complications / surgery
  • Preoperative Care / methods
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Surgical Flaps / transplantation*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Wound Healing / physiology*

Supplementary concepts

  • Gigantomastia