Tuberous breast deformity, also termed constricted breast deformity, is a condition where the breast tissue fails to develop fully. This results in a tight lower pole of the breast. The areolas are wide with the appearance of herniated tissue through the areola. Sometimes, the condition is accompanied by lack of pectoralis major muscle development. In this case, the condition is termed Poland’s syndrome. It may occur on one or both sides. Quite commonly, there is asymmetry. A milder form or form fruste may develop on one of the sides. There may even be a completely normally developed breast on one side. Read below about the treatment for tuberous breast in Fort Lauderdale, with Dr. Thomassen.
Treatment for Tuberous Breasts
Treatment for tuberous breast deformity involves a mastopexy with implants. In some mild cases, a patient does not need implants. If it is a more severe condition, volume is necessary. The lift will remove too much skin and result in an excessively small breast mound. The correction involves other measures but it can be delineated as follows:
Augmentation with a moderately sized saline or silicone gel implant.
A saline implant will allow narrow fill changes that discrete silicone sizes may not allow. A dual plane augmentation may provide protection for capsular contracture. However, this protection may not always be effective if the pectoralis major is undeveloped, as seen in Poland’s syndrome. A moderate size is important. A significant amount of skin will be removed in the lift. A larger implant may lead to excessive skin tension. This could cause wound healing complications or scar hypertrophy.
Release of inframammary fold.
We complete this step carefully. The fibrous tissue forming the inframammary fold may not behave like normal fold tissue. It can cause a double bubble deformity if released too far inferiorly. A subtle release may allow the implant to move slightly lower with an improved overall shape.
Periareolar mastopexy
Dr. Thomassen designs the periareolar mastopexy to lift the nipple-areolar complex a symmetric amount on both sides. With asymmetries, this may mean a significant difference in the excision patterns between breasts. To prevent asymmetries, Dr. Thomassen carefully protects the skin closure. This involves using a round-blocking suture to prevent areolar widening of one side over the other. It also helps avoid a relapse of asymmetry. The more traditional vertical mastopexy will not usually work in these cases. This is because of the tight lower pole constriction. Additionally, there is a lack of supple skin excess in the lower pole of the breasts.
Learn more about tuberous breast deformity in the American Society of Plastic Surgery website.
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