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Breast reduction - Risks

Alternative Names

Reduction mammoplasty

Risks:

Breast reduction is generally safe. Ask your doctor about these complications.

Risks for any surgery are:

Risks for any anesthesia are:

Risks for this procedure are:

  • Difficulty breastfeeding, or being unable to breast-feed
  • Large scars that take a long time to heal
  • Loss of feeling in the nipple area
  • Uneven position of the nipples or differences in the size of the breasts
  • Reviewed last on: 1/26/2011
  • Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Burns JL, Blackwell SJ. Plastic surgery. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 73.

Brown JR, Holton LH 3rd, Chung TL, Slezak S. Breast-feeding, self-exam, and exercise practices before and after reduction mammoplasty. Ann Plast Surg. 2008 Oct;61(4):375-9.

Handschin AE, Bietry D, Hüsler R, Banic A, Constantinescu M. Surgical management of gynecomastia--a 10-year analysis. World J Surg. 2008 Jan;32(1):38-44.

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