Liposuction as an adjunct procedure in reduction mammaplasty

Liposuction has been recognized as a useful adjunct to breast reduction surgery for fine contouring of adjacent areas to achieve aesthetic balance and preservation of nipple sensation. In particular, the liposuction technique has provided an acceptable way of treating the "fat roll" of the lateral portion of the breast, which extends to the axilla and lateral chest. The purpose of this study was to review the authors' approach to adjunctive lipoplasty with breast reduction surgery and to review their experience. Examination of their own results in 70 consecutive women who underwent reduction mammaplasty in 1998 by the senior surgeon did not reveal any substantial difference in the complication rate of those women who had adjunctive liposuction with their breast reduction surgery vs. those who did not. All complications such as fat necrosis, cellulitis, and seromas were confined to the breast and were not related to the liposuction. Furthermore, there was no additional morbidity associated with ultrasonic liposuction compared with traditional suction-assisted lipectomy. Their experience indicates that patients undergoing reduction mammaplasty may benefit aesthetically from adjunct lateral chest wall liposuction without additional morbidity.