[Reduction mammaplasty with free nipple. Apropos of 5 cases]

Thorek's technique for reduction mammaplasty with free nipple graft, described in 1922, has progressively been superseded by procedures using a dermo-glandular pedicle. Following a description of the surgical procedure used, we present a series of 50 patients operated with an average follow-up of 14.6 months; the outcome of the nipple graft was particularly studied. It appeared that the faults which are usually seen with this technique (loss of pigmentation, loss of sensitivity and contractility of the nipple and areola) were only observed in a minority of cases and were never considered to be unsatisfactory for the patients. Thorek's technique also presents advantages: short surgical procedure, simplicity of the glandular resection, minimising the risk of cytosteatonecrosis. This seems to us to be a preferential procedure for the treatment of major hypertrophy in patients presenting vascular risk factors of with a history of tumour.