The Effects of Breast Reduction on Back Pain and Spine Measurements: A Systematic Review

The aim of this review article was to synthesize the literature on reduction mammaplasty and its effects on the spine. The particular focus was to find these few radiological studies and those investigating changes in spinal angles, posture, center of gravity, and back pain reduction. METHODS: We performed a thorough review of the literature, searching the Medline database for all relevant published data studying reduction mammaplasty and the spine. The search yielded 107 articles of which 11 articles met our specific inclusion criteria. The primary outcome measures of the studies and their respective results were tabulated, contrasted, and compared. RESULTS: The 11 cohort studies included in this review cover the period from 2005 to 2015 and focus on breast hypertrophy and spine. According to these 11 quantitative studies, breast hypertrophy causes objective, quantitative, measurable disturbances to women living with this condition. Reduction mammaplasty produces an unmistakable improvement in signs, symptoms, and quantifiable measures. Although the majority of included articles in this review described postoperative improvement in spinal angles, there remain discrepancies of results between them. CONCLUSIONS: The studies included in this review did offer a promising glimpse into the complex interaction between breast hypertrophy and the spine. However, future research initiatives can improve upon what these investigators have begun with more refined, objective, radiological evidence. More specifically, we aim to clarify some of the basic hypotheses in our center with the use of EOS.