Breast reduction surgery in Ontario: Changes in practice, 1992 to 2008

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Public Health
• Surgical Trends

Background:

• Symptomatic mammary hypertrophy significantly impairs physical function and quality of life.
• Breast reduction mammoplasty is a well-established surgical intervention for alleviating these symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze temporal variations in breast reduction mammoplasty surgical practices.
• To examine trends in women aged 15 and older in Ontario over a 17-year period.

Main Methods:

• Population-based, cross-sectional time series analysis.
• Examined 87,049 breast reduction surgeries from 1992 to 2008 in Ontario.

Main Results:

• Overall breast reduction rates remained stable at 83 per 100,000 annually.
• A significant decline in inpatient surgeries was observed, from 69.3 to 25.7 per 100,000.
• The primary age group for the procedure shifted from 21-30 to 31-50 years, with a near doubling in women over 51.

Conclusions:

• Breast reduction mammoplasty demand is expected to persist.
• An increasing proportion of older patients are seeking the procedure for enhanced quality of life and physical function.