ABSTRACT

Background. Tubular breasts is primarily a congenital anomaly (deformation) of one or both breasts, caused by pronounced fibrotic changes in the parenchyma and thickening of the superficial fascia. Tubular breasts is a completely healthy and functional organ, but with an external deformity. According to modern research, the prevalence of tubular breast deformity among women ranges from approximately 8% to 71%. It is crucial to identify tubular breast deformity at the diagnostic stage, before surgery, in order to determine and select the optimal surgical approach. This enables a significant improvement in aesthetic outcomes, allows for the prediction of potential complications, and helps prevent their occurrence. Tubular breast deformity has a psychological impact on patients, contributing to complexes and a decrease in quality of life. The external features of tubular breasts (deformation, asymmetry, small volume, and unaesthetic shape) motivate patients to seek augmentation, achieve symmetry, and improve breast aesthetics. For most patients, especially young women, tubular deformity and asymmetry represent aesthetic concerns that negatively affect their psychological well-being. Over the past five years, there has been an active search for optimal adaptive methods and a logical sequence of surgical approaches to address tubular breast deformity and asymmetry. At present, various surgical techniques are used depending on the type of tubular deformity. Unfortunately, there is no unified opinion among surgeons regarding the choice and sequence of combined surgical methods for solving this problem in a single operative stage.

Purpose. To analyze modern approaches used by surgeons in the surgical correction of tubular breast deformity, evaluate the effectiveness and stability of aesthetic results, assess the incidence of early and late postoperative complications, and provide an expert assessment of aesthetic outcomes of all types of tubular breast deformity correction using combined methods, including breast implants, in a single surgical procedure.

Materials and methods. The clinical study included 27 female patients who underwent corrective surgery for bilateral tubular breast deformity between 2024 and 2025. The operations were performed using the method of symmetrical mastopexy with implants of different volumes. Postoperative morphometric analysis was carried out for all patients to evaluate the effectiveness of surgical results. The study included female patients aged 18 to 23. The main motivational reason for seeking aesthetic surgery among all participants was psychological and physical discomfort associated with tubular deformity, asymmetry, and unsatisfactory breast shape.

Results. By the third postoperative day, 95.7% of patients reported satisfaction with the aesthetic and cosmetic outcome. At the three-month follow-up, 98.3% of patients noted complete satisfaction with both the functional and aesthetic results of the corrective surgery aimed at eliminating tubular deformity and breast asymmetry.

Conclusion. An evaluation of the aesthetic effectiveness of corrective surgery aimed at eliminating tubular breast deformity and asymmetry in young patients was performed. More than 97% of the operated patients reported a significantly positive functional and aesthetic outcome following surgical correction of tubular breast deformity.

ABOUT AUTHORS

LITERATURE

1. Rees T.D., Aston S.J. The tuberous breast // Clinics in plastic surgery. — 1976. — Vol. 3, № 2. — P. 339–347.
2. Галич С. П., Пинчук В. Д. Реконструктивная хирургия груди : руководство для врачей. — Киев : Книгаплюс, 2011. — 311 с.
3. Эстетическая хирургия груди : руководство для врачей. — Киев : Книга-плюс, 2009. — 312 с.
4. White R. R. Breast Reconstruction: An Alternative Viewpoint // Plast. Reconstr. Surg. — 2010. — Vol. 126, № 2. — P. 820–823.
5. Tebbetts J.B. Dual plane breast augmentation: optimizing implant-soft-tissue relationships in a wide range of breast types // Plast Reconstr Surg. — 2006. — Vol. 118, № 7 Suppl. — P. 81–102. DOI: 10.1097/00006534–200612001-00012.
6. Zholtikov V., Korableva N., Lebedeva Y. Circumlateral Vertical Augmentation Mastopexy for the Correction of Ptosis and Hypoplasia of the Lower Medial Quadrant in Tuberous Breast Deformity // Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. — 2021. — Vol. 45, № 1. — P. 40–47. DOI: 10.1007/s00266–020-01977–8.
7. Delay E., Sinna R., Ho Quoc C. Tuberous Breast Correction by Fat Grafting // Aesthetic Surgery Journal. — 2013. — Vol. 33, № 4. — P. 522–528. DOI: 10.1177/1090820X13480641.
8. Grolleau J.L., Lanfrey E., Lavigne B., Chavoin J.P., Costagliola M. Breast base anomalies: treatment strategy for tuberous breasts, minor deformities, and asymmetry // Plastic and reconstructive surgery. — 1999. — Vol. 104, № 7. — P. 2040–2048.
9. Versaci A.D., Rozzelle A.A. Treatment of tuberous breasts utilizing tissue expansion // Aesthetic plastic surgery. — 1991. — Vol. 15, № 1. — P. 307–312.
10. Grolleau J.L., Lanfrey E., Lavigne B., Chavoin J.P., Costagliola M. Breast Base Anomalies: Treatment Strategy for Tuberous Breasts, Minor Deformities, and Asymmetry // Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. — 1999. — Vol. 104, № 7. — P. 2040–2048. DOI: 10.1097/00006534– 199912000-00014.
11. Kolker A.R., Collins M.S. Tuberous Breast Deformity // Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. — 2015. — Vol. 135, № 1. — P. 73–86. DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000000823.
12. Silva-Vergara C., Fontdevila J., Weshahy O. Fat Grafting Technique, A Paradigm Shift in the Treatment of Tuberous Breast // World Journal of Plastic Surgery. — 2018. — Vol. 7, № 1. — P. 72–77.