PURPOSE: Dr. Robert Goldwyn, editor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, challenged audience members at the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons annual meeting in Dallas in 1999. He felt that it was unfair for those in the audience to have only “best results” presented to them. The only way to truly judge a technique is to evaluate a consecutive series. He asked for a consecutive series of 15 cases.

I believe strongly in the value of the vertical breast reduction technique. I therefore answered Dr. Goldwyn’s challenge and sent my case list to him, asking him to pick not only 15 cases, but 25 consecutive cases – the choice of date was his. He chose July 1998.

MATERIAL: It took two and a half years to actually find all 25 patients. Followup for each patient is a minimum of one year. Pre and postoperative photographs for all 25 consecutive patients will be presented.

RESULTS: This is a unique study for the following reasons: 1) the case material to be studied was selected by an unbiased person, not by the surgeon, 2) all operations were performed by a single surgeon with no cases or opposite breasts done by a resident or fellow, 3) all 25 consecutive cases were obtained - no exceptions, 4) all cases are complete with follow-up photos of 1-2 years or more, 5) the audience becomes the evaluator, not the surgeon. 6) hopefully this study can serve as a template for assessment of other aesthetic surgeries.

SUMMARY: This is an opportunity to establish a precedence for evaluation of aesthetic surgery outcomes.
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