RESUMO
Reduction mammoplasty is known to be a highly satisfactory surgery but complications and unfavorable results can occur. The objective was to describe the main unfavorable results, to specify their causes, preventions and treatments. We have analyzed articles from the last ten years regarding reduction mammoplasty complications as well as their main unfavorable results. The most common complications were wound dehiscence, hypertrophic scars, infections, fat necrosis, hematomas, and partial or total nipple-areolar complex necrosis. The most frequently reported unfavorable results were unaesthetic and retracted scars, asymmetry in breast size, abnormalities in shape, and malposition of the nipple-areolar complex. For each type of unfavorable outcomes, the possible causes, preventions and treatments were detailed.