Periareolar Augmentation Mastopexy with Interlocking Gore-Tex Suture, Retrospective Review of 50 Consecutive Patients

BACKGROUND: Periareolar Augmentation Mastopexy is one of the most challenging operations in plastic surgery. Problems with scar quality, areolar widening, and distortion are frequent problems that interfere with a predictable result. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on fifty consecutive patients who underwent a periareolar augmentation mastopexy with the interlocking approach. Of the 50 patients, 30 had both preoperative and postoperative photographs and were the basis of the study. RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged from 19 to 56 years with the average age being 39 years. The postoperative follow-up averaged 9.5 months and the implants averaged 316 mL. There were no deaths, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or infected implants. Four patients had complications following surgery for an overall complication rate of 13%. Two patients developed an infected Gore-Tex suture. Two of these complications were treated with revision surgery. Five patients required reoperation for an overall reoperative rate of 16% (one patient was converted to a full mastopexy). CONCLUSIONS: As a result of this retrospective study, we have found the interlocking approach to periareolar augmentation/mastopexy to be a safe and reliable operation.