Discussion. Shaping the breast in aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery: an easy three-step principle. Part IV--aesthetic breast surgery.

摘要

Shaping the breast in aesthetic breast surgery is one of the most important elements in any breast procedure; however, it is not the only goal. For instance, in breast reduction, shaping must be accomplished in addition to reduction of not only the breast volume but also the dimensions of the skin envelope. In breast augmentation, volume must be added in a way that preserves an aesthetic breast shape. In tuberous breast cases, repositioning the inframammary fold must be performed in conjunction with alteration of the volume of the breast, repositioning of the nipple-areola complex, and reshaping of the nipple-areola complex, all while creating a pleasing overall breast shape. Blondeel et al. attempt to simplify these complex and varying tasks by breaking down all of aesthetic breast surgery into three basic elemental considerations, namely, identification of the footprint, conus, and skin envelope of the breast. For commonly accepted aesthetic breast procedures including breast reduction, mastopexy, augmentation, and correction of the tuberous breast, each of these basic elements is examined and how each may affect the surgical plan and the eventual outcome is described.