Correlation between nipple elevation and breast resection weight: How to preoperatively plan breast reduction.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes
• Patient Classification

Background:

• Breast hypertrophy often causes functional limitations and impacts self-esteem.
• Accurate preoperative prediction of resected breast tissue is crucial for surgical planning and healthcare reimbursement.
• Existing preoperative measurements for predicting breast tissue weight show variable correlation with actual outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a simple, reliable preoperative measurement for predicting breast reduction weight.
• To establish the correlation between nipple-areola complex (NAC) lift distance and the amount of breast tissue removed.
• To develop a practical tool for preoperative planning in breast reduction surgeries.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study evaluated 128 patients undergoing bilateral breast reduction.
• The nipple-areola complex (NAC) lift distance was measured preoperatively.
• Linear regression and Pearson's correlation tested the relationship between NAC lift distance and resected tissue weight.

Main Results:

• A strong positive correlation (r: 0.87; p < 0.001) was found between NAC lift distance and removed breast tissue weight.
• The average resection weight was 686.65 g, with an average NAC lift distance of 7.6 cm.
• A mean of 81 g/cm of tissue was removed for lifts between 6-12 cm, and 70 g/cm for lifts >12 cm.

Conclusions:

• The NAC lift distance is an objective, repeatable, and reliable measure for predicting breast tissue resection weight.
• This simple measurement aids in classifying breast reduction indications and optimizing surgical planning.
• The findings support the use of NAC lift distance for more accurate preoperative assessment in breast reduction surgery.