mammoplasty /mam′əplas′tē/ [L, mamma + Gk, plassein, to mold] , plastic reshaping of the breasts, performed to reduce or lift large or sagging breasts, to enlarge small breasts, or to reconstruct a breast after removal of a tumor. To reduce the size of the breasts and raise them, excess tissue is removed from the underside of the breasts. The breast is then lifted, and the nipple drawn through an opening in an overhanging skin flap. To enlarge a breast, a saline-filled or silicone gel prosthesis is inserted in a pocket formed beneath the breast on the chest wall. Potential complications after surgery include infection or rejection by tissues when foreign body implants are used.
