Breast reduction surgery provides immediate relief of physical symptoms associated with large breasts. Confirming a study carried out in 1996 by Dr. Howard Tobin and Dr. Thomas Houting, which appeared in the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, a recent report from the University of Pennsylvania hospital in Philadelphia provides evidence that "reduction mammaplasty (breast reduction surgery) provides immediate relief of physical symptoms associated with macromastia (large breasts)." According to Dr. Brian Glatt, one of the authors of the study, this operation "has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates in all of plastic and reconstructive surgery." Women seek breast reduction surgery with the hope of reducing or completely eliminating symptoms including grooves from brassiere straps, neck, shoulder, back and breast pain. These patients often have difficulty with many types of exercise as well as with keeping up with the physical demands of their job. They also have problems finding clothing that fits and frequently experience personal embarrassment, associated with the size of their breasts. The study parameters were similar to those of Dr. Tobin and Houting. Each surveyed about 100 patients with over half responding. In the current study p re-operative data were collected from patients' medical records revealing that 92 percent of the pre-operative conditions were associated with back pain, 84 percent with shoulder grooves, 67 percent with patients having trouble finding clothing to fit properly and 66 percent with breast pain during exercise. The study revealed that post-operative patients reported substantial improvement in their physical signs and symptoms after surgery. The vast majority of patients experienced elimination or improvement in physical symptoms, with 83 percent reporting improvement or elimination of shoulder grooving and breast pain without exercise, and 78 percent reporting improvements in back and shoulder pain. The study concluded that reduction mammaplasty patients reported significantly greater satisfaction with their body image after this type of surgery than with all other forms of cosmetic surgery. The study appeared in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Reprints of the study by Dr. Tobin and Houting are available from the center. News Index

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