Treatment of impending nipple necrosis following reduction mammaplasty

Despite careful preoperative planning and accurate surgery, nipple necrosis may follow reduction mammaplasty. Impending nipple necrosis developed following translocation of the nipple and areola on a dermal pedicle in two patients. An excellent result was obtained by converting the nipple-areola complex to a full-thickness graft and removing the avascular portion of the breast. We recommend this technique to the surgeon whose patients develop impending nipple necrosis after reduction mammaplasty.