Introduction: Mastopexy of small ptotic breasts presents
one of the greatest challenges to the plastic surgeons. Different
techniques were described for mastopexy as well as for
mammary augmentation, recently combining the two procedures
became achievable. This may be achieved through
inserting an implant, fat lipofilling, or autoaugmantation.
Different methods for autoaugmentation mastopexy were
mentioned in the literature using the excessive tissue present
in one part of the breast to fill the defective parts, mainly the
upper pole and the medial cleavage.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the
effectiveness of inferiorly-based pedicle flap, combined with
Owl incision, in autoaugmentation mastopexy for patients
with small to moderately sized ptotic breasts who desire
repositioning of their breasts without insertion of a breast
implant nor lipofilling.
Methods: Objective and subjective assessment of 23
female patients undergoing mastopexy with autoaugmantation
using the Owl pattern incision combined with the inferior
dermoglandular flap.
Results: The technique showed satisfactory results as
demonstrates by statistical analysis of the objective and
subjective results.
Conclusion: While the autoaugmentation technique could
allow the plastic surgeon to partially win the struggle with
gravity, the inferiorly-based parenchymal flap that is fixed to
the pectoralis major muscle improves the breast projection
and upper pole cleavage. It represents a lightweight flap with
good outcomes in the long-term follow-up. A circumvertical
scar is well appreciated by the patients although has a high
learning curve. Adding solid objective assessment tools
(anthropometric measures taken before the surgery and at
regular follow-up) to the subjective tools (patient's satisfaction)
endorses the results and gives data for different statistics