Reduction mammaplasty with the modified round block technique in Chinese patients and its anatomy study

Abstract

Background: Although reduction mammaplasty is one of the most common procedures in plastic surgery, it is associated with some serious complications, especially in cases of severe hypertrophy or advanced ptosis, including necrosis of the nipple and areola, absence of normal sensation of the nipple-areolar complex, and loss of lactational function for future nursing. A thorough understanding of the breast anatomy is vital for successful reduction mammaplasty. This article describes the blood supply and innervation of the breasts, and introduces a modified round block technique for reduction mammaplasty based on this anatomy.

Methods: Six adult female cadavers were used to assess the vasculature of the anterior thorax and the nerve distribution of the breasts according to vascular perfusion and autopsy. Based on this anatomical study, a modified round block technique was designed for reduction mammaplasty, which was performed in 40 Chinese patients with breast hypertrophy.

Results: Würinger's horizontal septum was observed in all six cadavers. In the superficial layer, the main sources of blood are the second and third intercostal perforating branches of the internal thoracic artery, which run along the medial ligaments, and the branches of the lateral thoracic artery, which run along the lateral ligaments. In the deep layer, the main sources of blood are the fourth and fifth intercostal artery perforators, which run along Würinger's horizontal septum. Innervation of the nipple-areolar complex is achieved mainly by the lateral branches of the fourth intercostal nerve, which also run along Würinger's horizontal septum toward the nipple-areolar complex. The 40 patients with breast hypertrophy underwent successful reduction mammaplasty using our modified round block technique, except for one case, which developed necrosis of the nipple-areolar complex.

Conclusions: Reduction mammaplasty using our modified round block technique can maximally preserve the blood supply to the remaining gland as well as the innervation to the nipple-areolar complex, while maintaining the advantages of the traditional technique, such as an invisible scar and good projection.

Keywords: Breast; anatomy; blood supply; innervation; reduction mammoplasty.