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Accessory Breasts: When to Excise?

Accessory Breasts: When to Excise? To the Editor: Polymastia is a term used to describe the presence of more than two breasts in humans. It is synonymous with accessory, ectopic, or supernumerary breasts. It was once considered to be a symbol of increased fertility and femininity. Ancient goddesses of fertility had a plethora of breasts arranged in neat rows on their torso ( 1 ). Accessory breast is an infrequent clinical finding, with a reported incidence of 0.4–6% ( 2 ), yet it is a concern in a considerable number of women presenting to the outpatient department. The majority are asymptomatic and many perceive it as part of increased weight, however, one‐third of the patients are symptomatic, particularly during menstruation and lactation, or are concerned with the cosmetic appearance. In this review we attempt to evaluate the need and justification for routine excision. This retrospective review was undertaken at King Fahd Hospital from 1991 to 2003. All women with clinically diagnosed accessory breasts presenting to a single consultant surgeon's clinic were included. Medical charts, outpatient records, operative notes, and pathology reports were reviewed. The follow‐up period ranged form 18 months to 10 years. During the study period, the total number of patients presenting http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Breast Journal Wiley

Accessory Breasts: When to Excise?

Alghamdi, Hanan; Abdelhadi, Maha
The Breast Journal , Volume 11 (2) – Mar 1, 2005
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References (17)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
1075-122X
eISSN
1524-4741
DOI
10.1111/j.1075-122X.2005.21623.x
pmid
15730471
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

To the Editor: Polymastia is a term used to describe the presence of more than two breasts in humans. It is synonymous with accessory, ectopic, or supernumerary breasts. It was once considered to be a symbol of increased fertility and femininity. Ancient goddesses of fertility had a plethora of breasts arranged in neat rows on their torso ( 1 ). Accessory breast is an infrequent clinical finding, with a reported incidence of 0.4–6% ( 2 ), yet it is a concern in a considerable number of women presenting to the outpatient department. The majority are asymptomatic and many perceive it as part of increased weight, however, one‐third of the patients are symptomatic, particularly during menstruation and lactation, or are concerned with the cosmetic appearance. In this review we attempt to evaluate the need and justification for routine excision. This retrospective review was undertaken at King Fahd Hospital from 1991 to 2003. All women with clinically diagnosed accessory breasts presenting to a single consultant surgeon's clinic were included. Medical charts, outpatient records, operative notes, and pathology reports were reviewed. The follow‐up period ranged form 18 months to 10 years. During the study period, the total number of patients presenting

Journal

The Breast Journal – Wiley

Published: Mar 1, 2005

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