OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of reduction mammaplasty on pain and functional capacity of patients with mammary hypertrophy. METHODS: 100 patients with mammary hypertrophy, were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A was composed of 50 patients who were submitted to mammaplasty reduction immediately, while group B, also composed of 50 patients, went onto a control group. To measure shoulders, neck, and low back pain, Visual Analog Scale varying from zero to 10 was used. Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ-20), Brazilian version was applied to assess functional capacity. Pain and functional capacity were measured twice: at baseline and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: 46 patients, from both groups, completed the study. The patients mean age was 31.6 and 32.3 years old, respectively. The mean breast tissue weight was 1,052 g (188 g). Functional capacity was improved 6 months after reduction mammaplasty (group A) as compared to control group (group B). The mean pain intensity dropped: in the lower back from 5.7 to 1.3; in the shoulders from 6.1 to 1.1; and, finally, in the neck from 5.2 to 0,9. CONCLUSION: Reduction mammaplasty improved functional capacity and relieved pain in the lower back, shoulders and neck of patients with mammary hypertrophy.
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