Treatment of severe developmental asymmetry of the female breast

Abstract

In a material of 49 female patients with severe developmental breast asymmetry, Poland's syndrome and isolated unilateral hypoplasia were the most frequent etiological factors (69%). Prosthetic augmentation alone, transfer of the de-epithelialized latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap to fill up the infraclavicular hollow, combined with an expander prosthesis for the breast, or augmentation with tissue from the contralateral “healthy” hypertrophic breast were found to be the methods of choice in selected cases. In order to achieve optimum symmetry the contralateral ptotic/hypertrophic breast should be corrected in most patients.

Key Words:

• breast asymmetry
• congenital breast malformation
• Poland's syndrome
• breast reconstruction
• tissue expansion
• latissimus dorsi flap