Background: Reduction mammaplasty has the potential to alter sensation of the breast and nipple areolar complex (NAC) due to intraoperative sensory nerve disruption. There is currently a paucity of available literature pertaining to sensation changes following reduction mammaplasty, and the results are inconclusive due to variability of the findings. This study aims to assess sensation changes following superior and superomedial Wise pattern reduction mammaplasty, as well as any potential impact on patient satisfaction.
Methods: Sensation was tested using the AcroVal pressure-specified sensory device in nine regions of the breast: the outer superior (OS), outer medial (OM), outer inferior (OI), outer lateral (OL), inner superior (IS), inner medial (IM), inner inferior (II), inner lateral (IL), and the NAC. Patients also completed the BREAST-Q Reduction/Mastopexy Module.
Results: 23 preoperative measurements on 45 breasts and 24 postoperative measurements on 47 breasts were conducted. Median follow-up time was 1 month (range 3 weeks-2.5 years). Preoperatively, the OI region showed significantly weaker sensation than all other regions of the breast and the NAC (p<0.05), and continued to show weaker sensation compared to the majority of other regions postoperatively. The II and NAC regions showed a loss of sensation at one month postoperatively, which was also present in measurements up to 3 months, 6 months, and one or more years postoperatively. The only region that gained sensation postoperatively was the OM region, starting at 1 year following surgery (p=0.04). BREAST-Q scores showed significant improvement in psychosocial and physical well-being and satisfaction with breasts (p<0.05), and a positive trend in sexual well-being.
Conclusion: Patients with large breasts may have decreased sensation in the OI region at baseline, and this may continue postoperatively. Although patients demonstrated reduced sensation in the NAC and II regions postoperatively, this does not appear to negatively impact their overall well-being and satisfaction.
