Dermal flaps in breast reduction: prospective study in 100 breasts.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Wound Healing
• Surgical Techniques

Background:

• Wound dehiscence at the T-junction is a common complication in breast reduction surgery using the inverted T-scar technique.
• This complication can lead to delayed healing and increased scarring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel three-triangular dermal flap technique in promoting primary healing in the T-zone following breast reduction.
• To compare the healing outcomes of the new technique against the standard inverted T-scar method.

Main Methods:

• A comparative, single-center, randomized, double-blind, prospective study included 50 women undergoing breast reduction.
• Patients were randomized to either the three-triangular dermal flap technique or a control group (standard inverted T-scar technique).
• Follow-up assessments for primary healing in the T-zone were conducted over 49 days post-surgery.

Main Results:

• The three-triangular dermal flap group showed an average healing time of 19.7 days, significantly faster than the control group's 25.48 days (p < 0.01).
• T-zone dehiscence occurred in only 2% of patients in the flap group versus 16% in the control group (p = 0.012).
• The technique involves suturing superior skin flaps to minimize ischemia and dermal support to reduce central tension.

Conclusions:

• The three-triangular dermal flap technique offers a significant improvement in T-zone healing after breast reduction.
• This technique effectively reduces the incidence of wound dehiscence and shortens recovery time.
• The technique is simple, does not increase operative time, and is applicable to all breast reductions with inverted T scars.