Surgical Correction of Gynecomastia with Minimal Scarring

• Published in: Aesthetic plastic surgery 2012-12, Vol.36 (6), p.1302-1306
• Main Authors: Lee, Jun-Ho, Kim, Il-Kug, Kim, Tae-Gon, Kim, Yong-Ha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Cicatrix - prevention & control; Equipment Design; Gynecomastia - surgery; Humans; Lipectomy - instrumentation; Lipectomy - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Multimedia Manuscript; Otorhinolaryngology; Plastic Surgery; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0364-216X; 1432-5241
• DOI: 10.1007/s00266-012-9970-6

Background Gynecomastia is a benign, excessive development of the male breast that occurs at an overall incidence of 32–36 %. The authors effectively removed peripheral fat tissues with power-assisted liposuction (PAL) and periareolar glandular tissues with a cartilage shaver in a series of patients. The small periareolar incisions were not easily recognized. Methods Between February 2010 and April 2012, the charts of 15 patients (28 breasts) treated with PAL and a cartilage shaver were retrospectively reviewed. Results The mean volume of fat tissue removed with liposuction was 319 mL, and the mean volume of glandular tissue removed with the cartilage shaver was 70 mL. The mean follow-up period was 11.2 months. No infection, nipple–areola complex necrosis, nipple retraction, or saucer deformity was encountered in this series. Intraoperative bleeding occurred in one patient. Mild asymmetries developed in three patients. Conclusions Use of PAL and a cartilage shaver for the treatment of gynecomastia allows for effective removal of both the fat and the glandular tissue of the breast through a minimal periareolar incision. This technique can achieve excellent aesthetic results with inconspicuous scarring. Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .