Windmill Flap Nipple Reduction: A New Method of Nipple Plasty

• DOI: 10.1007/s00266-017-0860-9
• Publication Date: 2017-04-04T11:11:44Z
• Authors: Yijia Yu; Liyuan Wei; Yichen Shen; Wei Xiao; Jiaxin Huang; Jinghong Xu
• Keywords: Adult; Esthetics; Mammaplasty; Taiwan; Hypertrophy; Plastic Surgery Procedures; Risk Assessment; Surgical Flaps; 3. Good health; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Treatment Outcome; 0302 clinical medicine; Nipples; Humans; Female; Follow-Up Studies

Nipple hypertrophy is a common aesthetic issue for Asian women. Thus, methods to correct this problem are needed. Several nipple reduction procedures have been reported, but all have shortcomings. In this article, we propose a new method to reduce both the height and diameter of the nipple without affecting its function.Sixteen female patients, between the ages of 24-41 years, underwent a new nipple reduction method in our department between May 17, 2010, and May 5, 2014. Three crescent-shaped lines were drawn from the top of the side wall of the nipple, extending to the areola. This design reduces both the diameter and height of the nipple with minimal tissue manipulation.Before surgery, the mean diameter and height of the nipple were 15.9 ± 2.7 and 18.3 ± 3.1 mm, respectively, with the patient in the supine position. Immediately after surgery, the mean diameter and height of the nipple were 9.1 ± 1.7 and 7.9 ± 2.1 mm, respectively. No major complications, such as nipple necrosis, infection, delayed wound healing, or loss of sensation, were noted.This new surgical technique allows the creation of a new nipple of the desired height and diameter with excellent aesthetic results and without significant complications.This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .