Innovative Application of GalaFLEX Poly-4-Hydroxybutyrate Scaffold in Breast Reduction/Mastopexy with Inferiorly Based Dermo-adipose Flap

Abstract

Summary: Breast reduction is one of the most required plastic surgery procedures worldwide, improving significantly the quality of life for patients with macromastia and gigantomachia. Despite various proposed approaches aiming to yield more stable results postreduction, no single technique has demonstrated unequivocal superiority. Recurrence ptosis at 6–12 months postoperative remains a challenging concern. To improve this issue, the authors propose a novel application of the poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) scaffold on the anterior surface of the Ribeiro dermo-adipose flap. The primary aim was to establish a durable and resilient biological connection between the mammary gland and the flap, thereby promoting long-lasting outcomes in breast reduction procedures. The P4HB scaffold is a monofilament, single-layer, biologically derived, fully resorbable, rapidly integrating within breast tissue; this biological process stimulates the formation of freshly vascularized connective tissue up to a thickness of 2–3 mm. Within 18–24 months, the scaffold undergoes gradual resorption through hydrolysis-based mechanism, providing enhanced strength and resistance to the native tissue, as shown in animal model. A key innovation proposed by the authors involves the division of a 15 × 20 cm rectangular sheet of the P4HB scaffold along its diagonal, resulting in two right triangles. This modification ensures increased height of the device if compared with the traditional splitting technique of the scaffold. The strategic establishment of a biological bridge between the mammary gland and flap through the implementation of the P4HB scaffold could potentially enhance the longevity and aesthetics of breast reduction outcomes.