Nipple loss due to blood flow/what is that measurement?

Dear scout2020,
breast reduction is best suited for women who wish to decrease the size of their breasts. While there are different techniques used to perform this surgery, I prefer the vertical incision (lollipop pattern) breast reduction technique instead of the anchor scar pattern, which reduces more noticeable scarring than usual. I also use a SAFE liposuction technique to reduce additional fat around the stubborn axilla area and bra line. This way, my patients are achieving beautiful results with minimal incisions which reduces downtime and delivers an overall better breast shape long term.If you are considering breast reduction surgery, you should consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options and make sure your surgeon understands your goals. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Nipple necrosis is the term. The further the nipple has to be moved the greater the risk is. The risk overall is pretty low and largely surgeon and technique dependent. Some surgeon will avoid this in cases where your nipple is very low by moving the nipple like a skin graft. This rarely is required.

There is no magic number that indicates whether or not you will have problems with poor blood flow to your nipples after breast reduction surgery. In general, the longer the distance from the edge of the dissection to the nipple, the more risky it is that you will have poor blood flow to the nipple. It is still a relatively rare occurrence to have nipple ischemia, even with large reductions. To have the procedure approved through insurance, certain criteria have to be met. The risk of blood flow to the nipples has nothing to do with the approval process. In fact it is illogical to bring that up, because the risk of blood flow to your nipple only occurs after surgery. To reduce the risk of poor blood flow to the nipples you should avoid having surgery altogether. Also keep in mind that even extremely saggy breasts often do not weigh that much. Insurance companies are generally very specific about the pre-authorization criteria. Best wishes to you.

Hello and thank you for your question . Your insurance isn't going to approve the surgery based on circulation to your nipples, it approves or disapproves based on your symptoms from having larger breasts. If you have back or neck pain, skin breakdown in the folds and if you have had dr visits related to these issues. You can lose your nipple from the reduction if you have a long distance from where your nipples are now to where they will be after the reduction. I am not aware of a number but the larger and lower the nipples are, increases the risk of nipple loss from a reduction.

At our practice, we utilize primarily the inferior pedicle technique of breast reduction. In our experience, we have never lost a nipple. The secret to that is to maintain a robust and continuous pyramid of tissue from the base of the breast to the nipple areolar complex to maximize blood flow. In the peer-reviewed literature, while it is true that reports of nipple loss with increasing pedicle length have been reported, we have not seen this complication in our experience. Gentle tissue handling technique may also play a role in the avoidance of complications. Also important in the avoidance of complications is the proper selection of surgical candidates for the procedure. This is done by taking a thorough medical history and physical examination and the optimization of any medical problems prior to surgery.

The nipple loss is a postoperative complication when breasts are that pendulous. Typically, that would require free grafting technique.