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A modified owl technique for breast reduction

  • Original Paper
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European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Macromastia is the abnormal enlargement of the female breast, which causes physical and psychological stress for women’s health. Reduction mammoplasty is the only definite treatment of macromastia; several studies document its positive impact on women’s physical, social, and intimate well-being. The Wise pattern skin technique is a popularized technique among plastic surgeons for all varieties and sizes of breast reductions. However, this technique poses some drawbacks: lack of projection, reduced upper pole fullness, and late bottoming. The introduction of the vertical scar reduction mammaplasty increases the level of patients’ expectations and satisfaction. Many plastic surgeons tried several modifications of the vertical scar technique to eliminate its two common disadvantages: excessive lower pole length and double bubble appearance.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted for 139 female patients between the years 2016 and 2020 who underwent a modified owl technique reduction mammaplasty, analyzing patients and operative data to identify the relationship between the modifications of the adopted technique, complication rate, and patients’ satisfaction.

Results

Mean follow-up was 17 months. Mean age for all patients was 34 years (range between 19 and 59 years). Early complications such as hematoma and seroma occurred in 4 patients. No total or partial nipple‐areola complex losses were recorded.

Conclusions

  The modified owl technique herein presented seems a safe alternative for reduction mammaplasty in moderate macromastia and in selected cases of severe macromastia, where breast fullness is concentrated in the lower pole.

Level of evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study

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Data Availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

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Acknowledgements

The author is thankful to Dr. Ahmed Abdel Azim, plastic and reconstructive surgery resident at Alexandria University Main Hospital, for his valuable help in preparing the digital artwork for this manuscript.

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Burns, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Champollion Street, El-Khartoum Square, Azarita Medical Campus, Alexandria, 21111, Egypt

    Saad Mohamed Saad Ibrahiem

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  1. Saad Mohamed Saad Ibrahiem
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Correspondence to Saad Mohamed Saad Ibrahiem.

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Ethical approval

The present study was conducted in accordance with the Good Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Alexandria Medical School Ethics Committee, serial number 0305727, and the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, as revised in 2008.

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All patients have provided written informed consent for sharing their data and photographs.

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Saad Mohamed Saad Ibrahiem declares no conflict of interest.

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Ibrahiem, S.M.S. A modified owl technique for breast reduction. Eur J Plast Surg 46, 741–748 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-023-02061-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-023-02061-5

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