He simply removed the
nipple, reduced the size of the breast, and then put the nipple back on. Many
patients still believe that this is a common procedure, but it has been almost
completely abandoned by now – about the only time it is used is in reductions
of enormous breasts. Doctor Thorek was also the first to write a textbook
entirely on aesthetic surgery of the torso, what we now call “body contouring
surgeryâ€. The book was published in 1942, and had the title "Plastic
Surgery of the Breast and Abdominal Wallâ€.
Numerous methods of reducing the breast and locating the nipple in its proper
place have been developed and publicized since the 1930s, but the early methods
were beset by problems. The main difficulty was achieving a natural, symmetrical
appearance. There was often quite a bit of scarring as well, and blood circulation
to the nipple was hampered, with resulting problems in healing. Sensitivity
in the breasts was also reduced, and many women lost the ability to nurse.
The methods were radically improved in the 1960s, however. One of the pioneers
in careful geometric planning of breast reductions was the Swede Jan Olof
Strömbeck, who might be regarded as the father of modern breast reduction
surgery. Today breast reductions are
a common plastic surgery operation. The frequency of complications is low
and the rate of patient satisfaction is high.
