Thursday, February 1, 2007
11805

Triangulation: A Technique for Maintaining Peri-operative Symmetry in Aesthetic Breast Surgery

Adil Ceydeli, MD, MS, Gloria Mabel Gamboa, MD, FACS, and Jack C. Yu, MD, DMD.

PURPOSE: We present a simple, practical, and a reliable technique to maintain the peri-operative symmetry in any aesthetic breast surgery. METHODS: Patient was positioned flat, arms been abducted from the body. A 3-0 monofilament suture was placed on both sternal notch and subxyfoid areas in midline. These sutures are then crossed and twisted two or three times on each other, creating a triangle. The inferior wall of this triangle is the imaginary line between the sternal notch and subxyfoid suture origin, and lateral walls are made by the sutures. The tip of the triangle (where the two sutures cross) is placed on the point of interest (nipple, areolar borders etc.). The tip is then clamped to fix the shape of the triangle, and by maintaining the same tension on the sutures, the triangle is reflected to opposite site, and the corresponding point of interest is marked. RESULTS: The peri-operative symmetry can be measured and maintained accordingly in any breast surgery each and every case. CONCLUSION: Triangulation technique is simple with a short learning curve, practical that can be applied at any breast surgery, and reliable. It does not require any special instruments, not time consuming and without any complications.