Definition
For more information on lifting and enlarging a breast that is sagging; click
this to read an in-depth article written by Prof. Kirwan: Simultaneous
Peri-AreolarMastopexy /Breast Augmentation Paper.
Age
Breasts can sag after weight loss or pregnancy (especially with breast
feeding). Sometimes they develop with poor support. Age for the procedure
is from late adolescence and older.
Surgical technique
A standard breast lift has four components:
1.The areola is reduced in size.
2.The breast tissue is repositioned or suspended
3.The nipple and areola are elevated.
4.The extra skin and some breast tissue is removed and a new skin and
breast tissue "brassiere" is fashioned. The final scar is T-shaped with a
vertical limb extending below the areola to the crease below the breast
and a horizontal limb beneath the breast. The scar continues around the
new areola.
Short Scar Techniques (vertical scar and short horizontal scar)
The “old fashioned” way of doing a breast reduction involved support of the
nipple on a base or pedicle of tissue from the lower part of the breast. Over
time this pedicle would fall and the nipple would point upwards (known as “star-gazing”) and the breast would “bottom-out”.
Ivo Pitanguy from Rio de Janeiro pioneered the concept of using the upper
breast to move the nipple whilst removing the lower breast as a “Keel”
resection to prevent “bottoming-out”. Other pioneers such as Claude Lassus
from Nice, France, have further advanced this technique to eliminate the
horizontal scar beneath the breast or reduce its length.
This technique is ideal for the small to medium enlarged (hyper-trophic breast)
and gives a “perky” shape with less risk of bottoming out over time.
Prof. Kirwan now utilizes this technique in his breast lifts and reductions. He
also combines the technique with a peri-areolar mastopexy which allows more
tissue to be gathered around the areola and reduce the excess in the lower
part of the breast thus reducing the length of or eliminating entirely the
horizontal scar in the crease beneath the breast.
In the case of a breast-lift or mastopexy without an implant, Prof. Kirwan is
using the lower part of the breast as an “autogenous” (patient’s own tissue)
breast implant, to give upper fullness to the breast.
For more information on Auto-augmentation see: http://www.surgicalbreastenhancement.com/autoaug.htm.
The final scar is limited either to a “lollipop” configuration alone (around the
areolar and a vertical component from the areolar to the crease under the
breast or to a lollipop shape plus a short horizontal component which is
hidden beneath the breast and does not extend to the visible part of the
décolleté or" the outer part of the chest where it might be visible as a
widened scar and be impossible to hide with revealing clothing.
Dr Kirwan will present his “Lollipop Mastopexy” at the upcoming meeting
of the International Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Sydney,
Australia on August 14, 2003.
Philosophy
To create a teardrop-shaped breast with thin scars that turn white and are
almost unnoticeable.
Surgical time and recovery
Surgery takes 3-4 hours. There are no drains. A soft wrap is placed around
the breasts after surgery. All sutures are removed by the seventh day. The
patient can go back to work in 7 days. Light exercise is permitted after 14
days. Normal activities can be resumed in 21 days.
Related procedures
Liposuction to contour the shape better where it extends under the arms.
|
Body Contouring Procedures 
