Reduction mammaplasty with the nipple-areola carried on a single, narrow inferior pedicle.

Transposition of the nipple-areola on a narrow, single, inferiorly based breast subcutaneous pedicle in reduction mammaplasty is safe, even in patients with massive macromastia. We report breast reduction performed with the single pedicle in 15 breasts in 10 patients, with bipedicles as long as 51 cm (prior to amputation), with single inferior pedicles as long as 30 cm, and with resections of up to 3,000 gm per breast. We are not proposing resection of the superior pedicle in all vertical pedicle mammaplasties; we are saying, rather, that the superior pedicle may be discarded with the resected breast tissue, and the nipple-areola may be transferred safely on a pedicle that is narrower than previously described by others.