Success rate of gynecomastia surgery

[mephistopholes]

What would you say is the success rate of gynecomastia surgery in your opinion/observation?   Clearly, not all surgery is a success.  What is the worst problem associated with the surgery excluding death?

[Paa_Paw]

The worst possibility would be an under-qualified but overly agressive surgeon who remove too much tissue and left a crater deformity.

[headheldhigh01]

odds of death, though not zero, are pretty small.  i also would call that bad, but i wouldn't call that the worst possibility.  some other surgeons are too conservative and don't do enough, and i doubt all that many of them guarantee their work enough to include free revisions. 

rates would be speculation by anyone but surgeons, though without impugning their perspectives you'd like to have a more independent source.  i would guess if you polled people a full year later, something like 80% might call themselves completely or mostly satisfied. 

i'd call your worst case scenario somebody who thought because they were skilled at appendectomies they could do anything including cosmetic work.  somebody like that will start by hacking you open with no thought for how to hide the scar on the edge of an areola or under a shoulder - i've seen pics of two straight cuts across the areola that weren't even symmetric.  THEN maybe they crater it.  but i think a skilled ps can get most of it and do enough cosmetic work around the area to hide it.  it's been debated before, but it's not like any of that stuff ever belonged in there to start with.  makes you wonder how much it renormalizes over time. 

my $.02.   

[mephistopholes]

Then when he complains the doctor says something like "It's all in your head. You just have to give your mind time to adjust to your new body without gynecomastia." which is a common BS excuse said in those situations.

I must say that scares me.   Scary.....

[DrCALOCA]

SUCCESS RATE DEPENDS MAINLY ON SURGEON'S EXPERIENCE. THE CORRECT TECHNIQUE MUST BE USED AND THE VOLUME TO BE REMOVED MUST BE JUST RIGHT.

[losernumber1]

My main concern would have to be the risk of complications related to post surgery internal infection due to unsterile operating conditions. If the theatre nurse doesnt wash her hands after shes don a crap you might end up with hep c or aids, or you may get an aggressive golden staf type flesh eating bacteria unleashed in your chest. Could be a bit nasty really.


www.anticharisma.com

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

True complications such as post-operative bleeding or infection are possible but in the hands of a competent surgeon, the rate of these things are very very low.  Remember, gyne surgery is being performed just under the skin -- it is not invasive into the chest or abdominal cavities.  It is a "clean" operation as opposed to operating on a "dirty" area (like the inside of the intestines).

Dr Jacobs

[DrBermant]

What would you say is the success rate of gynecomastia surgery in your opinion/observation?   Clearly, not all surgery is a success.  What is the worst problem associated with the surgery excluding death?

I have seen horrible disasters from incompetent doctors who should not have been performing gynecomastia surgery.  The worst I can remember is multiple perforations of the intestine for liposuction of the stomach done at the same time as gynecomastia that resulted in emergency life saving surgery with loss of intestines, kidney failure, multiple operations, scars, and near death.  It was a Gynecologist who offered that misadventure.  That is why each patient needs to be careful with doctor selection.  I have seen disasters from ER doctors, Family Practitioners, Radiologists, Urologists, and General Surgeons attempting male chest contouring.

Check out this post about picking a plastic surgeon for gynecomastia surgery:
http://www.gynecomastia.org/smf/index.php?topic=16474.0

The question you pose is unfortunate.  It is like asking what is the worst risk in driving a car? 

Scars, hematoma blood collection, nerve injury, and wound healing issues can be found with any surgery.  With an experienced plastic surgeon, success rate for this surgery is excellent to spectacular.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[Grandpa Bambu]

SUCCESS RATE DEPENDS MAINLY ON SURGEON'S EXPERIENCE. THE CORRECT TECHNIQUE MUST BE USED AND THE VOLUME TO BE REMOVED MUST BE JUST RIGHT.

'Realistic Expectations' also play a big part in 'Success Rate'... 

P.S.  Hit your 'Caps Lock' key doc... 

GB...