Breast reduction is a very commonly performed procedure. The basic technique of a breast reduction is leaving the nipple/areola complex attached to an amount of breast tissue which still remains attached to the chest wall, providing its blood supply and its nerve supply. This allows the nipple to be moved to the desired position. One then removes an amount of skin and fat and then creates a new breast around the nipple/areola complex. There were numerous techniques described in the early part of 1900's. A Plastic surgeon in the 1960's in Melbourne described the most popular breast reduction performed in Australia and probably in the world. This was the inferior pedicle breast reduction. Over the last 1-2 decades, techniques have been described to try and shorten the scar of the breast reduction. The usual scar is around the nipple/areola complex, a vertical scar extending down the middle of the breast to the inframammary fold and then a scar in the inframammary fold along the length of the breast. Madeleine Lejour described one of the first short scar techniques. This gained some popularity but was a little complicated. for various reasons I did not think it a good technique. A Plastic Surgeon in Banff, Canada, Elizabeth Hall-Findlay described

a short scar technique basing the nipple/areola complex on a medial pedicle and removing a lot of the lateral and inferior portions of the breast. This technique is much simpler and growing rapidly in popularity. I have used this technique for the last eight years and feel this is an excellent technique in the small and medium breast. The technique has some good advantages. The shape of the breast I believe is better, the inframammary fold is raised a little, and there is a shorter scar. The only real disadvantage is that one has a small dog ear over the inframammary fold area, which depending on its size, settles over some weeks to months. I use this technique similarly for mastopexies where I elevate a flap of breast tissue to augment the upper pole of the breast, giving the upper pole more breast projection. The operation is usually performed under general anaesthetic. I usually drain my breast reductions, the drains remaining in place for approximately three days. The hospital stay can be day only or 1-3 nights. Jumping, running and aerobic activities is usually stopped for 4-6 weeks but walking and cycling can be permitted as normal.

Post-operative Care for Breast Reduction Patients