The Pedicled Robertson Mammaplasty: Minimization of Complications in Obese Patients With Extreme Macromastia

Abstract

Abstract Background Breast reduction for extreme macromastia in obese patients is a potentially high-risk endeavor. Free nipple grafting as well as a variety of pedicled techniques have been advocated for large reductions in obese patients, but the number of different approaches suggests that no single method is ideal. This paper suggests the Robertson Mammaplasty, an inferior pedicle technique characterized by a curvilinear skin extension onto the pedicle, as a potentially favorable approach to this clinical situation. Objectives The author sought to determine the safety of the Pedicled Robertson Mammaplasty for extreme macromastia in obese patients. Methods The records of a single surgeon’s practice over a 15-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were a Robertson Mammaplasty performed with a >3000-g total resection and a patient weight at least 20% above ideal body weight. Records were reviewed for patient characteristics, operative times, and complications. Results The review yielded 34 bilateral reduction patients that met inclusion criteria. The mean resection weight was 1859.2 g per breast, the mean body mass index was 36.4 kg/m2, and the mean sternal notch-to-nipple distance was 41.4 cm. Mean operative time was 122 minutes. There were no cases of nipple necrosis and no major complications that required reoperation under general anesthesia. A total 26.4% of patients had minor complications that required either local wound care or small office procedures, and 4.4% received small revisions under local anesthesia. Conclusions The Pedicled Robertson Mammaplasty is a fast and safe operation that yields good aesthetic results and a relative minimum of complications in the high-risk group of obese patients with extreme macromastia. Level of Evidence: 4