Schnur Scale Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the Schnur Scale (SS) is:

\[ SS = \frac{W}{SA} \]

Where:

\( SS \) is the Schnur Scale (g/cm²).
\( W \) is the weight of the tissue to be removed (grams).
\( SA \) is the surface area of the breast (cm²).

What is the Schnur Scale?

The Schnur Scale is a sliding scale used by plastic surgeons to determine the medical necessity of breast reduction surgery. It is based on the patient’s body surface area and the weight of breast tissue proposed to be removed. The scale helps to assess whether the amount of tissue to be removed is proportional to the patient’s body size, which can be important for insurance coverage purposes.

Example Calculation

Consider an example where:

Weight of Tissue to be Removed (W): 500 grams
Surface Area of the Breast (SA): 1500 cm²

Using the formula to calculate the Schnur Scale:

\[ SS = \frac{500}{1500} = 0.33 \text{ g/cm²} \]

This means that the Schnur Scale for this example is approximately 0.33 g/cm².