Evaluation of the Effect of Reduction Mammoplasty on Body Posture in Patients with Macromastia

Abstract

Background: Breast hypertrophy is a significant health problem with both physi-ological and psychological impacts on the patients’ lives. Patients with macromastia adopt a corrective posture due to the effect of the breast on the center of gravity and possibly in a subconscious effort to conceal their breasts. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether the posture of patients with mac-romastia changed after the reduction of mammoplasty. Material and Methods: In this prospective study, patients with breast cup sizes C, D, and DD were scheduled for reduction mammoplasty in 3 Shiraz University Hos-pitals. Age, weight, height, and preoperative cup sizes of the breasts were recorded for every patient, and all patients underwent posture analysis with forceplate before and after reduction mammoplasty. Finally, the preoperative and postoperative data were compared. Results: Mean age at the time of reduction mammaplasty was 43.57±9.1; the mean pre-operation, such as weight, height, and mean the body mass index (BMI) was 76.57±10 kg, 158.28±6 cm and 30.57±4.1, respectively. The average Anterior-posterior (AP) direction velocity before and after the surgery was 0.85±0.12 cm/s and 0.79±0.098, respectively. These values were 0.83±0.09 and 0.81±0.10 for the medio-lateral direction. The Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) value for the AP direction was 1.63±0.3 and 1.60±0.2 for pre-and post-surgery, respectively, which was not statistically different. The DFA value for maximum likelihood (ML) direction was 1.65±0.2 and 1.48±0.2 in pre-op and post-op, respectively, which was statistically sig-nificantly different. Conclusion: Reducing the weight of enlarged breasts can correct disturbed sagittal balance and postural sway.