Never Too Late for Breast Reduction, Raleigh, NC*

This 66-year-old woman had large breasts most of her life .she had long wondered if she should have a breast reduction and finally approached her family doctor about it.She noted as she get older that the breasts became more cumbersome and her neck and back pain became worse. She tried physical therapy and used anti-inflammatories with minimal improvement. She wore supportive brassieres. She was referred by her primary care physician for breast reduction. She was overweight and suffered hypertension but was otherwise considered a reasonable candidate for breast reduction. Her left breast was larger than the right. She underwent bilateral breast reduction with removal of 1024 g of breast tissue from the left side and 765 g on the smaller right side. She had immediate improvement and relief from her neck and back pain. Essentially 4 pounds of tissue was removed. She went from a 40 G cup down to a D cup. She was very pleased with the improvements as well as the relief of neck and back pain. Many women considering breast reduction wondering if they are too old to proceed. Breast reduction can be a safe operation provided patient's health is reasonable. It is well tolerated in age groups up to the 70s. Special caution must be taken by the breast reduction surgeon to ensure proper blood supply to the nipple areola complexes as aging and associated health problems make them potentially more prone to vascular changes and potential fat necrosis.