Breast reduction for symptomatic macromastia: can objective predictors for operative success be identified?

The purpose of this paper is to assess symptomatic macromastia, the relief of symptoms by operation, and predictors of symptom relief. The methods used have been retrospective chart review and a self-assessment patient questionnaire. One-hundred and thirty-three patients underwent an average 1660-gm reduction. Ninety-three percent reported a postoperative decrease in symptoms such as shoulder grooves and shoulder, neck, and back pain. Correlation between breast size and sign or symptom severity achieved significance only for the preoperative submammary rash (r = 0.33, p < 0.001). Patients lost an average of 8.9 lb postoperatively and were less overweight (49 versus 40 percent). Activity level increased postoperatively in 63 percent. Postoperative chest size correlated inversely with activity level (r = 0.35, p < 0.001). Thirty-nine percent of patients who took pain medications preoperatively were able to eliminate these postoperatively. The quantity of tissue removed did not correlate with outcome. A model predictive of symptom relief could not be developed (total R2 = 0.03). Reduction mammaplasty promoted relief of signs and symptoms of macromastia, but a predictive model of successful operation could not be developed.