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Correction of the Tuberous Breast with Fat Grafting and Implant: Techniques, Evaluation with BREAST-Q, and Preliminary Results

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  • Breast Surgery
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Abstract

Background

The correction of tuberous breast deformity with fat grafting has gained popularity in recent years, but it remains unclear whether this new technique can produce patient satisfaction levels comparable to those achieved with implant-based correction.

Methods

This study aimed to compare patients’ satisfaction and quality of life using the BREAST-Q questionnaire after correction of tuberous breast deformity with fat grafting and implants. Twenty-four patients (36 breasts) were included in our study. Thirteen patients (15 breasts) had a correction with lipofilling (mean 2.67 interventions) and 11 patients (21 breasts) had an implant-based correction (mean 1 intervention).

Results

Both fat and implant treatments showed statistically significant improvements in breast satisfaction (p value=0.001, 0.002, respectively), psychosocial (p value=0.003, 0.003, respectively), and sexual satisfaction (p value=0.008, 0.002, respectively) between the pre-treatment and post-treatment stages. However, the only statistically significant differences between the treatments were observed in the physical condition pre-treatment (p value=0.008) and sexual condition post-treatment (p value=0.030). The outcome of both treatments was not statistically different. Furthermore, the outcome exhibited a statistically significant positive linear relationship with breast satisfaction for both treatments.

Conclusions

This study suggests that lipofilling can achieve breast and outcome satisfaction comparable to that of implants, although this parity in results comes at the cost of more interventions. These preliminary results lend support to the notion that, as surgeons have access to two equally effective techniques, it is crucial to provide appropriate guidance to patients to ensure their satisfaction.

Level of Evidence IV

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Funding

All authors have nothing to disclose. No funding was received for this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Senology, Evangelische Kliniken Gelsenkirchen, Munckelstrasse 27, 45879, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

    Sarantos Papadopoulos

  2. Plastic Surgery Department, AZ Monica Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium

    Steven D. M. Colpaert

  3. Department of Senology, Evangelische Kliniken Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

    Goran Vidovic

  4. Department of Computer Science, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Theodoros Moysiadis

  5. 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Apostolos P. Athanasiadis

  6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Breast Center, Muenster University, Muenster, Germany

    Joke Tio

  7. Department of Senology, Evangelische Kliniken Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

    Abdallah Abdallah

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  1. Sarantos Papadopoulos
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  2. Steven D. M. Colpaert
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Correspondence to Sarantos Papadopoulos.

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Papadopoulos, S., Colpaert, S.D.M., Vidovic, G. et al. Correction of the Tuberous Breast with Fat Grafting and Implant: Techniques, Evaluation with BREAST-Q, and Preliminary Results. Aesth Plast Surg (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-024-04032-y

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