Ruptured internal mammary artery perforator after reduction mammoplasty: a case report

A 60-year-old female who was 10 days post-reduction mammoplasty presented to the emergency department due to the sudden onset of swelling and pain in her left breast. A contrast-enhanced CT scan of the chest revealed active arterial bleeding. The patient was emergently taken to the operating room, where she underwent evacuation of a large hematoma as well as ligation of a left internal mammary perforator artery. This case represents a rare occurrence of life-threatening postoperative bleeding into the chest wall/breast after reduction mammoplasty, which developed 10 days postoperatively. The successful outcome and complete recovery were attributed to the timely recognition of the problem, followed by prompt and effective surgical intervention.