Mastectomy flap design: the 'waisted teardrop' and a method to reduce the lateral fold.

BACKGROUND: There are various methods to design mastectomy flaps but few are standardized. Lateral skin folds or 'dog ears' are a common, unsightly and uncomfortable consequence following a surgery in overweight patients.

METHODS: We describe a simple technique for designing mastectomy flaps and a method to eliminate the lateral dog ear.

CONCLUSION: The design is easy to apply and may enable standardization. Heuristics of mastectomy design should be standardized and included in surgical training.