Turkish Doctor's New Method in Breast Reduction for the Elderly

Yeditepe University Hospitals Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist has developed a new method to safely perform breast reduction surgery and increase the comfort of life, especially in postmenopausal elderly patients with weight problems. Mentioning that the duration of surgery is very important in his published study, Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist stated that thanks to the method, the surgeries take a shorter time, and the person can return to his normal life in 2-3 days. Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist stated that people are generally satisfied with the method that was also applied to a 74-year-old patient.
Pointing out that breast size negatively affects people's social lives, Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist said, “Shoulder, neck and back pain is one of the most common complaints of patients. Back and neck hernias may accompany these pains. Also, the diaper rash under the breast is extremely uncomfortable. Women who complain about the size of their breasts can have reduction surgeries starting from the age of 18. If there is no additional disease, these operations can be performed safely until the age of 40-45.”

The Risk of Spinal Problems Increases with Age

Mentioning that it is more important to perform these surgeries especially at an advanced age, Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeon Specialist said, “Because, after menopause, the shape of the breast also changes. The breast tissue in it decreases, and the fat tissue increases. However, as people get older, the weight starts to increase as people move less. Spinal problems may develop due to a decrease in muscle and bone strength. This situation seriously disturbs life.”

“The Elderly Should Not Be Afraid of Surgery”

Stating that the elderly are afraid of having breast reduction surgery, Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist said, “First of all, they should know that these surgeries should not be feared. Moreover, the health and comfort that will come to their lives with breast reduction further increase the importance of this surgery. A general evaluation of the patient is made before the operation. Co-morbidities and the medications that he/she uses are learned and possible risks are examined after the surgery. If the anesthesiologist reports "not suitable for surgery" in his/her evaluation, the operation is not performed. However, it should be underlined that the surgery can be performed safely in the case of diabetes and high blood pressure. With the method I developed, we ensure that the surgery is completed in a shorter time, reducing the possible risks of anesthesia and focusing on increasing patient comfort.”

“It Should Be Proportional to the Woman's Body”

Pointing out that the size should be proportional to the person's body in the breast reduction process, the Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist continued his words as follows: “The distance from the pit in the neck (sternal notch) to the nipple normally varies between about 20-24 cm. In large breasts, this distance may increase to 30-40 cm. First of all, it is checked according to certain parameters whether it is disproportionate to the woman's body. In the preoperative measurements, a general examination is performed by measuring the chest circumference, excluding the breast. This will provide the patient's body size and will not change after surgery. Only the measurement we call "cup size" changes after the surgery.”

Patient Will Say “What A Relief” When She Gets Up for the First Time

Stating that there will be a pain in that area after the surgery, our specialist said, “However, the patient will say 'what a relief' when she gets up for the first time. She will immediately feel the difference. Because sometimes 1 and sometimes 6 kilograms are removed at once. On the evening of the operation, most patients forget even the pain of the operation when they realize the weight that has been removed. The patient can return to her normal life in 2-3 days by wearing a special bra. However, this period may vary from person to person and according to the technique of the surgery.”

Details of the Developed Method

Informing about the technique he developed, our specialist made the following statements: “We tried to develop a simplified method especially for postmenopausal, elderly, and overweight patients. Because advanced age means the emergence of additional diseases in many people and the emergence of diseases such as obesity and diabetes that will affect the health status of the person. In this case, the operation time may be longer for patients with very large breasts. This means more anesthesia. Therefore, it is necessary to shorten the operation time in order to reduce the risks that may occur due to the operation, such as clotting, of which the risk of development increases as the duration of the operation increases. With this method, the time is shortened. We give the shape of the breast in a shorter time to meet the expectation of the patient.”

The Method Was Applied to A 74-Year-Old Patient

Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist said that he has successfully applied the method in 30 patients (23 of whom are included in the article) so far and added, “Patients are very satisfied with the results. Of course, in advanced age, for example, in the 70s, the breast may move away from its acceptable shape due to sagging skin. However, since the key point in this group of patients is to remove weight, this patient group is also satisfied with the result. The oldest of the patients to whom we applied this method was 74 years old. Today, the children and grandchildren of our patients reach us and seek solutions.”