Objective To investigate feasibility and preliminary oncological safety of surgical innovations in breast cancer patients who have undergone nipple-skin-sparing mastectomy (NSSM) for nipple discharge or central lesions and tumors that do not involve the nipple-areola skin. MethodsBetween May 2018 and November 2023, patients diagnosed with breast cancer presenting nipple discharge or lesions in the central area underwent NSSM. The imaging assessment revealed no involvement of the nipple-areola-skin by the tumor. We performed a surgical removal of the affected mammary duct and simultaneously made a circular incision measuring 3-4 mm in diameter at the apex of the nipple. The study also involved the collection of clinical data, early complications, oncological outcomes and conducting aesthetic analysis of the nipple using the BREAST-Q scale. Results The surgical procedure was conducted on a cohort of 39 female patients at age of 27-57(39.0±7.6) years. The postoperative pathological stages of breast cancer were distributed as follows: stage 0 in 2 patients (5.1%), stageⅠ in 1 patients (2.6%), ⅡA stage in 15 patients (38.5%), ⅡB stage in 21 patients (53.8%). Tumor type: simple carcinoma in situ in 5 patients (12.8%), invasive carcinoma in 14 patients (35.9%), including invasive carcinoma with carcinoma in situ in 20 patients (51.3%). During the median follow-up period of 15.0 (2-66) months, 3 patients (7.7%) developed decolorization caused by mild nipple ischemia; there was no nipple necrosis; 1 patient (2.6%) failed nipple reconstruction (no milk column, the milk column disappeared due to external dressing compression after operation). There were no incision complications, subcutaneous emphysema or intramammary hematoma in all patients. Two patients (5.1%) underwent prosthesis removal and nipple areola excess skin resection because of prosthesis cavity infection and final exposure caused by debridement, dressing change, redrainage and so on. As of April 2024, no tumor recurrence or metastasis was found during the follow-up period. The satisfaction of patients with nipple was 97.4% according to BREAST-Q score. ConclusionThe satisfaction of breast cancer patients diagnosed with nipple discharge or lesions in the central area, but without involvement of the nipple areola skin, and who underwent subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate reconstruction is significantly enhanced. Furthermore, there is no increased risk of tumor recurrence or metastasis in short-term.
ObjectiveTo compare the surgical data, safety, cosmetic outcomes, and quality of life of patients underwent single axillary incision endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction with endoscopic harvesting of latissimus dorsi muscle flap (abbreviation as the “endoscopic group”) and traditional open surgery of latissimus dorsi muscle flap harvesting for breast reconstruction after mastectomy (abbreviation as the “open group”). MethodsThe patients were collected, who underwent latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University and the Fourth People’s Hospital of Sichuan Province from January 2021 to June 2024 from a prospective maintenance database, and then were assigned into an endoscopic group and open group according to the surgical method. Their basic information, information relevant operation, postoperative complications, and patient reported outcomes (BREAST-Q scale) score were compared between the two groups. ResultsA total of 73 patients were enrolled, including 23 patients in the endoscopic group and 50 patients in the open group. There were no statistically significant differences in the age, body mass index, breast sagging, tumor location, tumor N stage, pathological type, adjuvant therapy, etc. between the patients of two groups, except for a higher proportion of T4 stage patients in the open group as compared with the endoscopic group (P＜0.001). A longer size of latissimus dorsi muscle flap was harvested in the endoscopic group as compared with the open group (P=0.002). There were no statistically significant differences in the total surgical complications, major complications, minor complications, and implant-related complications between the patients of two groups (P>0.05). The most common complication in the patients of both groups was back seroma, 21.7% (5/23) in the endoscopic group and 22.0% (11/50) in the open group. The total length of incisions in the endoscopic group was significantly shorter than that in the open group (P<0.001), and the points of the breast satisfaction (P=0.045), back satisfaction (P<0.001), and sexual well-being (P=0.028) of the patients in the endoscopic group were significantly higher than those in the open group. The major complications did not happen in the endoscopic group, but happened in 2 cases in the open group (1 patient due to ischemic necrosis of the latissimus dorsi muscle and 1 patient due to breast infection resulting in implant removal). During the follow-up period, 3 (6.0%) patients had distant metastasis (all were lung metastasis) in the open group, and there was no local or regional recurrence, distant metastasis, and specific death of breast cancer in the endoscopic group. ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that, for patients who have skin invasion but who desire breast reconstruction or have failed by prosthetic breast reconstruction (such as skin flap necrosis), traditional open surgery of latissimusdorsi flap harvesting for breast reconstruction is worth choosing. However, for breast cancer patients who do not need additional skin breast reconstruction, endoscopic latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction has greater advantages in cosmetic effect, and it is safe and effective.
Latissimus dorsi muscle flap (LDMF) is an important autogenous tissue for autogenous breast reconstruction after mastectomy. LDMF harvesting using a conventional open method is traumatic, and the scar is obvious. With the application of minimally invasive technology in various surgical fields, endoscopic and robotic technology for breast surgery, especially LDMF breast reconstruction, is also becoming mature. Endoscopic or robotic LDMF breast reconstruction has the advantages of no incision in the back, superior cosmetic effect of back, clear vision of surgical field, and low incidence of postoperative complications. It is a safe and effective method of breast reconstruction.
Objective To review the research progress related to endoscopic surgery and robotic surgery for breast diseases, aiming to provide references for clinical practice. Methods The recent domestic and international literature on endoscopic surgery and robotic surgery for breast diseases was reviewed, then the challenges in their development, the innovative evolution of endoscopic surgery combined with clinical practice by our team, and its clinical applications were summarized. ResultsTraditional endoscopic surgery, despite its advantages such as minimal invasiveness, good cosmetic outcomes, and high patient’s satisfaction, has been limited in its development due to specific difficulties in establishing the operative field. Our team innovatively proposed the “reverse sequence method” and the Huaxi Hole 1 theory and methods, cleverly altering the surgical procedure sequence, adding small operative orifices to transform single-port operations into multi-port ones, effectively overcoming the challenges restricting the advancement of endoscopic surgery in the field of breast diseases, thereby enabling further proliferation of endoscopic procedures. In terms of breast endoscopic reconstruction surgery, the parachute patch technique has broadened the indications for reconstruction surgery, benefiting patients with a certain degree of breast ptosis; and the postoperative adjustment concept, through early intervention in the post-reconstruction breast shape, has further refined the reconstruction procedure. Robot-assisted surgery derived from endoscopic surgery theory has further enhanced the precision and stability of surgeries, reducing surgical risks; however, excessive time and economic costs are urgent issues that must be addressed. Conclusion Through theoretical innovations, endoscopic surgery has been applied in the excision and reconstruction of breast lesions, while robotic surgery shows promising applications in autologous breast reconstruction, especially in the latissimus dorsi reconstruction field. Nevertheless, the lack of high-level large-sample, multi-center randomized controlled clinical trials to confirm its surgical safety, oncological safety, and postoperative cosmetic outcomes is an important direction for future research.
ObjectiveTo optimize the perioperative management experiences for breast cancer patients undergoing direct-to-implant-based breast reconstruction, and provide reference for clinical practice. Methods A comprehensive review of recent domestic and international literature was conducted to systematically summarize the key points of perioperative management for direct-to-implant-based breast reconstruction, including preoperative health education, intraoperative strategies, and postoperative management measures, along with an introduction to the clinical experiences of West China Hospital of Sichuan University. ResultsStandardized perioperative management can effectively reduce the incidence of complications and achieve excellent cosmetic outcomes and quality of life after operation. Preoperative management includes proactive health education to alleviate patients’ anxiety and improve treatment compliance, as well as comprehensive assessment by surgeons of the patient’s physical condition and reconstructive expectations to select the most appropriate implant. Intraoperative management consists of strict aseptic technique, minimizing implant exposure, preserving blood supply to the nipple-areola complex (e.g., by using minimally invasive techniques or indocyanine green angiography, etc), and meticulous hemostasis. Postoperative management encompasses multimodal analgesia, individualized drain management (such as early removal or retaining a small amount of fluid to optimize contour), infection prevention and control (including topical and systemic antibiotics, ultrasound-guided minimally invasive drainage), guidance on rehabilitation exercises (early activity restriction followed by gradual recovery), and regular follow-up to evaluate aesthetic results and monitor for complications. ConclusionEstablishing a standardized, multidisciplinary perioperative management framework markedly enhances surgical safety and patient satisfaction, thereby providing a replicable benchmark for direct-to-implant-based breast reconstruction across diverse clinical settings.
In conventional open breast surgery, the surgical trauma is significant and the postoperative scar is often noticeable. Endoscopic and robot-assisted breast surgery is increasingly attracting attention due to the advantages such as smaller incisions, lower complication rate, and improved aesthetic outcomes. However, the lack of natural cavities in the breast has become a primary challenge in establishing and maintaining the necessary surgical space for endoscopic breast surgery. We reviewed the research progress of endoscopic and robot-assisted breast surgery, summarized the the innovations and challenges of existing techniques, and focused on introducing the application value of physical and biological properties of gas and liquid in endoscopic breast surgery.
Objective To explore the surgical technique and preliminary safety and aesthetic results of endoscopic removal of injectable Amazingel with/without immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation for patients. MethodsThe clinical data of 25 patients who underwent endoscopic removal of injectable Amazingel with/without immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation between April 2020 and January 2024 and met the selection criteria was retrospective analysed. The patients’ age ranged from 33 to 73 years, with a mean of 50.4 years, and the body mass index ranged from 16.8 to 26.6 kg/m2, with a mean of 21.5 kg/m2. They were all bilaterally injected with Amazingel, and the time between initial injections and surgery ranged from 17 to 26 years, with a mean of 21.4 years. Early safety was evaluated by the incidence of early postoperative complications, and early aesthetic results were evaluated using Harris scores (including breast shape satisfaction, sensation satisfaction, and elasticity satisfaction) at 3 months after operation. Results There were 9 cases underwent Amazingel removal (group A) and 16 cases underwent Amazingel removal with immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation (group B). Intraoperative removal of Amazingel ranged from 808 to 1 285 mL, with a mean of 1 050.7 mL; the mass of the capsule removed ranged from 36 to 169 g, with a mean of 103.6 g; and a gross anatomical prosthesis was used with a median size of 345 mL (range, 315-355 mL). The operation time ranged from 95 to 395 minutes, with a mean of 194.2 minutes; and the cost of the procedure ranged from 8000to 91 000 yuan, with a mean of 33 000 yuan. Patients had a median follow-up time of 22.7 months (range, 3.0-48.1 months). There was 1 case of intraoperative skin burn due to the operation of the electric scalpel, which healed naturally after operation without flap necrosis. There was no adverse conditions such as prosthesis outline showing, ripple sign, and capsular contracture during follow-up; a small amount of Amazingel residue was found in 2 patients at 1 year after operation. The Harris score at 3 months after operation was used to evaluate the early aesthetic results, and the breast shape, elasticity, and sensation satisfaction of group A were lower than group B, but the differences between the two groups were not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion Endoscopic removal of injectable Amazingel with/without immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation is safe in the early stage with good aesthetic results, and it is also recommended that patients who had the indications for combined immediate breast augmentation after removal to rebuild the breast appearance.
ObjectiveTo explore the surgical technique and preliminary results of endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (E-NSM) and immediate pre-pectoral implant-based breast reconstruction (BR) with titanium-coated polypropylene mesh (TiLoop Bra) via single axillary incision for breast cancer patients.MethodsThe clinical data of 9 consecutive female patients who underwent E-NSM and immediate pre-pectoral implant-based BR with TiLoop Bra from March to May 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The mean age of patients was 40.6 (22-60) years. The operation time, early complications were collected, and the patients' social and mental health, breast satisfaction and chest function before and after the operation were assessed with the BREAST-Q questionnaire.ResultsAll the patients had unicentric tumor with a mean diameter of 2.4 (0.6-4.7) cm. The mean distance from the tumor to the nipple was 2.5 (2-4) cm. There were 2 patients with tumor stage 0 and 7 patients with stageⅠ. The mean operation time was 161.1 (125-201) min, the mean blood loss was 41.1 mL and the hospital stay time was 1.5 d. There were 5 patients in the day-care unit. All the patients were successfully followed up with a median follow-up time of 1 (1-2) month. One (11.1%) patient with depigmentation of the nipple-areola complex caused by mild ischemia. None of the patients had incision complications, subcutaneous emphysema, hematoma, infection, nipple-areola or skin flaps necrosis, implant loss. During the follow-up period, no local/regional recurrence or distant metastasis was found. Chest well-being was decreased in the first month after the surgery compared with preoperative status, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.001). There was no statistical difference in the breast satisfaction or psychosocial function scores between pre- and post-operation (P>0.05).ConclusionE-NSM and immediate pre-pectoral implant-based BR with TiLoop Bra via single axillary incision has minimal trauma, rapid postoperative recovery, short operation time, few early complications and good early cosmetic effect, and the short-term result is satisfactory.
