Preoperative and postoperative considerations in elective breast operations

The number of young women undergoing elective breast operations is increasing rapidly. The lifetime breast cancer risk in the female population is 1 in 10. As this group ages, it is obvious that surgeons will encounter carcinoma of the breast in these patients more frequently. The surgical implications of breast cancer in these patients are discussed, and guidelines for preoperative and postoperative management in patients being considered for augmentation mammaplasty, mastopexy, and reduction mammaplasty are suggested.