The reason a breast examination is needed before breast reduction is because of ‘this’

The number of people undergoing breast reduction surgery

is increasing rapidly every year.

In the United States, about 100,000 people a year

have reduction surgery,

so it has now become a common procedure

that is widely seen around us.

When the breasts are excessively large,

pain can develop in the neck, shoulders, and lower back,

and scoliosis may also occur.

In addition, bra straps can leave deep grooves on the shoulders,

and various forms of dermatitis, such as intertrigo,

can develop in the area under the breasts.

Also, because the ulnar nerve is compressed,

people may experience numbness in the hands and carpal tunnel syndrome,

and they often suffer severe psychological stress.

For these various reasons,

more and more people undergo breast reduction surgery every year.

However, there is still no clear guideline

on what tests should actually be performed

before breast reduction surgery.

Unlike other surgeries, breast reduction surgery requires

a special preoperative examination.

The reason is

'the occurrence of breast cancer.'

Breast cancer is a representative cancer of developed countries.

The higher the economic level, the higher the incidence,

which can be seen as related to modern lifestyles.

So in countries that can be called developed,

such as Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom,

breast cancer ranks first among cancers affecting women.

Korea is similar.

In particular, if there is a family member with breast cancer,

the incidence increases by about 20–30%,

and if a BRCA gene is present,

the probability of developing breast cancer can be as high as about 80%,

so it is a disease that women cannot afford to take lightly.

Because breast cancer is a disease that can commonly occur in women,

if you are planning breast reduction surgery,

a thorough preoperative screening is necessary.

But what is the relationship between these two?

There have been various reports of cases in which breast cancer was discovered during breast reduction surgery.

Among the many papers, one that deserves attention is

the study published by Dr. Ferras in 1990.

It reported that among 204 patients planning breast reduction surgery,

7 cases of breast cancer were found through mammogram screening.

That means breast cancer was discovered in roughly 3% of patients.

That is a quite significant number.

In such cases, treating the breast cancer takes priority

over breast reduction surgery.

If the occurrence of breast cancer is not discovered beforehand before surgery,

treatment or the overall plan may go in the wrong direction.

Therefore, it is important to make sure there is no breast cancer

through mammogram and ultrasound examinations before surgery.

These tests are also important examination records

that remain useful for a long time even after reduction surgery.

Only with these preoperative test records

can they be used as basic data for postoperative monitoring.

Even during regular follow-up examinations,

they help avoid confusion

and prevent unnecessary tests.

I have also found breast cancer several times

during preoperative examinations.

One case that stands out in my memory was a patient in her 50s,

who was planning breast reduction surgery,

and an unfavorable shape was found during the ultrasound examination.

After a tissue biopsy, it turned out to be stage 0 cancer.

The patient was worried that if only breast cancer surgery were performed,

asymmetry would occur with the other side,

so she planned breast reduction surgery together with the breast cancer operation.

However, before surgery,

there were some suspicious findings on the mammogram and ultrasound,

so an MRI was additionally performed.

This is because, in some cases,

stage 0 cancer can extend to the surrounding area.

Based on the comprehensive test results,

the cancerous area was judged to be beyond the range that could be treated with partial resection alone,

and for the patient’s sake,

I thought it would be better to undergo total mastectomy and additional treatment,

so with a referral letter,

I helped arrange a transfer to a university hospital.

As such, with breast reduction surgery,

it is important to consider not only beauty but also safety.

Careful attention throughout the entire process

and thorough management

are necessary.