Breast Congenital Deformities

Breast Asymmetry; Poland’s Syndrome; Tuberous Breast Deformities

Congenital breast surgery treats different conditions that lead to a variety of defects seen in the female and male breast. The most common congenital breast abnormality is breast asymmetry. This asymmetry can cause a difference in breast size of up to two cups. This not only includes more volume on one side, but more skin. Operations designed to correct this generally involve reducing the larger breast and removing skin and augmenting the smaller breast. These are very nuanced operations and the best approach may be to resect skin and breast tissue from the larger breast, place a small implant, and place a larger implant on the opposite, smaller side, with fat grafting to further refine the result.

Other operations for asymmetry may involve some correction of an underlying skeletal or chest wall abnormality. Chest wall abnormalities such as those seen in Poland’s Syndrome involve depressions in the ribs or sternum, or congenital absence of one or more muscles of the chest and breast tissue on one side as compared to the other. It may be appropriate to correct these deformities with some combination of breast implants, tissue expanders, fat grafting, and, when necessary, acellular dermal matrix, which can be folded into a variety of shapes to correct an underlying deformity or concavity in the ribs. The surgical result is highly dependent on the creativity and experience of the surgeon performing these procedures. Often, more aggressive procedures result in better symmetry. At times these operations need to be done in stages due to a number of conditions and it may be necessary to place a tissue expander temporarily to stretch the skin on one side in order to better match an opposite side that has much more redundant skin.

View Poland Syndrome Before & After Photos

Many times, patients who have had congenital breast procedures require a revision operation. These are also complex operations that are highly nuanced and often require a great deal of judgment, skill, and experience on the part of the surgeon. They almost always involve exchanging implants, resecting tissue, lifting tissues, fat grafting, and often include some use of acellular dermal matrix to further refine the result.

For more information about congenital breast surgery, please call our office today. A consultation will provide the opportunity to discuss your unique situation and consider the wide variety of options available to you.