Tuberous Breast Management: A Review of Literature and Novel Technique Refinements

The tuberous breast is a rare malformation that can affect psychosocial well-being in young women. Its management represents a great challenge to plastic surgeons. Many surgical procedures have been described to correct different grades of tuberous breast deformity (TBD). The authors describe their one-stage technique for correcting grade 2 TBD.

Sixteen women affected by grade 2 TBD treated with glandular flaps, silicone gel prosthesis, and only an hemiperiareolar incision between January 2018 and January 2019 were reviewed. The age range was 19-27 years (mean age was 25). Follow-up average was 25 months (range 16-33 months). To evaluate the results, we used two analogic scales with values from 1 to 3, where the lower value was the worst result. First, an independent medical team of three plastic surgeons evaluated two parameters: correction of deformity and symmetry. Then, patients were asked to judge the result obtained.

The resulting breast has a normal-shaped areola without bulging, a natural shape, a volume matching the contralateral breast, and no evidence of "double-bubble" deformity or irregularities of the lower pole shape.

We propose this one-stage approach with hemiperiareolar incision, to minimize time interval to obtain final results in TBD correction, with reduced scar dimensions to avoid all the possible complications related to the round block suture.