Objective To summarize the experience of 23 cases of axillary approach endoscopy-assisted bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy surgery with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction, and to discuss its superiority and patient satisfaction. Methods The clinical data of 23 female breast cancer patients who underwent axillary approach endoscopy-assisted bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy surgery with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction from June 2021 to June 2022 in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively included. We summarized the surgical procedures, surgical safety, and postoperative patient satisfaction. Results Twenty-three patients have operated the axillary approach endoscopy-assisted bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy surgery with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction successfully without nipple reconstruction. Among them, 9 patients underwent dual-main surgeons’ surgery, and 14 patients underwent one-main surgeon surgery. The surgery time ranges from 3.5 to 7.0 h, mean of 4.76 h, and the mean operation time of 9 patients underwent dual-main surgeons’ surgery was shorter than that of patients underwent one-main surgeons’ surgery. The blood loss ranges from 20 to150 mL, mean of 45.7 mL. The postoperative hospital stay range from 0 to 24 d, mean of 10.7 d. Four people suffered from complications: 1 patient with prosthesis moving up, 2 patients with nipple-areola complications, and 1 patient with subcutaneous emphysema. All 23 women were followed for 3 months, and no one suffered from recurrence, metastasis, and death during this period. We surveyed people by BREAST-Q scale when pre-operation, 1 month after the operation, and 3 months after the operation. Compared with preoperative patients, the sexual well-being, psychosocial well-being, and chest physical well-being of 1 month postoperative patients were decreased, but obviously increased in 2 months. The satisfaction with breast of 3 months of postoperative patients were higher than preoperative patients. Conclusions Endoscopy-assisted bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy surgery with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction can achieve good cosmetic results and improve surgical safety. The dual-main surgeons’ surgery can decrease the operation time, so as to reduce the risk of anesthesia for patients.
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.
ObjectiveTo introduce a contralateral mastoplasty in breast reconstruction with prosthesis after breast cancer surgery in order to gain bilateral breasts symmetry.MethodsBetween January 2016 and June 2018, 11 female patients with breast cancer were treated, aged 34-64 years old (mean, 49.6 years). There were 5 cases in left side and 6 cases in right side. There were 3 cases of invasive carcinoma and 8 cases of intraductal carcinoma. The diameter of tumor was 0.2-4.1 cm (mean, 2.5 cm). The disease duration ranged from 1 to 15 months (mean, 6 months). According to Regnault grading criteria, there were 7 cases of mild breast ptosis and 4 cases of moderate breast ptosis. Simple nipple-sparing mastectomy and reconstruction using prosthesis of the affected side, and folding and lifting of the nipple-areolar complex of the healthy side were performed.ResultsThe operation time was 144-188 minutes (mean, 158 minutes). The hospital stay was 6-9 days (mean, 7.5 days). Postoperatively, poor incision healing occurred in 1 case and healed after symptomatic treatment. The other incisions healed well and no surgical-related complications occurred. All patients were followed up 6-30 months (mean, 16 months). At 3 months after operation, the expert group adopted the self-made rating scale to evaluate the bilateral breasts symmetry, and the score was 8-10 (mean, 8.9). The patients were evaluated for their satisfaction according to the self-made score scale, and the score was 8-10 (mean, 9.1).ConclusionAfter immediate breat reconstruction with prosthesis after breast cancer surgery, the satisfied bilateral breasts appearances and symmetry can be obtained by contralateral mastoplasty.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of post mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) on breast reconstruction after mastectomy in breast cancer patients, in order to provide evidence support for clinical treatment decision.MethodsFive databases searched in the current study include the Cochrane Library, PubMed, CNKI, VIP and WanFang database. A systematic search for control trials was performed in each database from the starting date of each database to March 1, 2021. After the two evaluators independently selected literatures, extracted data and conducted quality evaluation according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the meta analysis was carried out by Revman 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 9 cohort studies (3 447 cases) were included, including 699 cases in PMRT group and2 748 cases in non-radiotherapy group. The results of meta-analysis showed that: PMRT was associated with significant increase in capsular contracture. The incidence of capsular contracture increased from 4.34% in the non-radiotherapy group to 34.10% in patients receiving PMRT [OR=9.25, 95%CI (3.76, 22.78), P<0.000 01]. In addition, PMRT was associated with a significant increase in incidences of reconstructive failure [OR=2.55, 95%CI (1.74, 3.74), P<0.000 01] and revisional surgery [OR=2.24, 95%CI (1.58, 3.18), P<0.000 01]. Moreover it was associated with a significant reduction in patient satisfaction [OR=0.29, 95%CI (0.15, 0.57), P=0.000 30] and cosmetic outcome [OR=0.26, 95%CI (0.15, 0.43), P<0.000 01].ConclusionThis meta-analysis demonstrates that breast cancer patients who received PMRT after breast reconstruction, the rate of adverse events is increased and patients’ satisfaction and cosmetic outcome are decreased.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of indocyanine green (ICG)-based fluorescent angiography in autologous tissue breast reconstruction.MethodsBetween June 2016 and June 2017, 14 female patients were treated with the autologous tissue breast reconstruction. The age ranged from 27 to 64 years with the median age of 46.5 years. There were 11 patients of one-stage reconstruction, including 9 with invasive ductal carcinoma of breast, 1 with recurrence tumor on chest wall, and 1 with angiosatcoma in the breast. The disease duration ranged from 9 days to 48 months (mean, 6.8 months). There were 3 patients of second-stage breast reconstruction, who underwent mastectomy 3-4 years ago. During operation, the first ICG-based fluorescent angiography was done before cutting off the flap pedicle. According to the results, 13 patients were adjusted the strategy of operation or cut part of flap, only 1 patient kept the original design. Then, the infusion of flaps were confirmed by the second ICG-based fluorescent angiography after transplanted to the recipient site. The area of flap ranged from 24 cm×11 cm to 36 cm×15 cm. All incisions of recipient site were closed by primary suture.ResultsThe fat liquefaction of incision occurred in 1 patient with type 2 diabetes, and the incision healed after debridement operation. The other flaps survived with no flap perfusion related complication. Both donor sites and recipient sites healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 1-14 months (mean, 4 months) with satisfied result of reconstruction. There was no tumor recurrence.ConclusionICG-based fluorescent angiography can reveal the perfusion of the flap in operation instantly and accurately. It should be very helpful to adjusting the strategy in reconstructive operation, especially in the large tissue demanded kinds such as breast reconstruction.
ObjectiveTo summarize the difficulties and key points of free deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap (DIEP) transplantation in breast shaping of two-staged breast reconstruction with vertical scar.MethodsThe clinical data of 32 postoperative breast cancer patients after mastectomy who underwent free DIEP transplantation for breast reconstruction between October 2015 and October 2019, whose original surgical incisions were all vertical and longitudinal, were retrospectively analysed. All the patients were female, aged from 31 to 42 years, with an average of 34.6 years. The disease duration of breast cancer ranged from 9 to 48 months (mean, 22.8 months). Free DIEP pedicled with contralateral vessels were used in all cases, and the recipient vessels were intrathoracic vessels. Among them, 17 flaps were placed longitudinally, 15 flaps were placed obliquely; Z-shaped flaps were used in 18 cases to adjust the chest wall skin contracture, and contralateral breast reduction and mastopexy were accomplished at the same time in 23 cases.ResultsAll DIEP survived completely, and all donor and recipient sites healed by first intention. Internal thoracic lymph node metastasis was found in 1 case and treated with radiotherapy. All 32 cases were followed up 9-48 months, with an average of 19.4 months. The appearance and texture of all flaps were satisfactory, and only linear scar was left in donor site. Eleven patients underwent further autologous fat transplantation and nipple reconstruction. All patients had no effect on abdominal wall activity, and no local recurrence and metastasis was found.ConclusionIt is difficult to use free DIEP for two-staged breast reconstruction in patients received mastectomy with vertical longitudinal scar left. Combined with different breast shaping techniques, the outcomes can significantly improve.
Objective
To introduce an surgical technique of endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) combined with immediate breast reconstruction through simple single-port access that placed in axillary incision.
Methods
Between January 2017 and February 2018, 15 female patients with breast cancer (stageⅠ in 5 cases and stage Ⅱ in 10 cases) were treated with endoscopic NSM combined with immediate breast reconstruction through simple single-port access that placed in axillary incision. They were 27-45 years old (mean, 37.5 years). The disease duration ranged from 1 to 24 months (mean, 8 months). The tumor located at the left breast in 8 cases and at the right breast in 7 cases. The diameter of tumor ranged from 1.5 to 3.0 cm (mean, 2.6 cm). The distance between tumor and nipple was 1.8-4.0 cm (mean, 2.3 cm).
Results
After operation, the nipple epidermal necrosis occurred in 1 case, and subcutaneous effusion in 1 case. No subcutaneous emphysema or skin flap necrosis occurred. Postoperative pathological examination showed that 1 case was nipple involvement and was treated with nipple resection. All patients were followed up 7-17 months (mean, 11 months). According to the Harris assessment criteria for appearance of reconstructed breast, there were 4 cases of excellent, 10 cases of good, and 1 case of poor. No tumor recurrence or metastasis occurred during follow-up.
Conclusion
It is a safe and feasible method of endoscopic NSM combined with immediate breast reconstruction through simple single-port access that placed in axillary incision, and can obtain good cosmetic results. It is a new option to breast reconstruction.
Objective To investigate the results of skinsparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction with transverse rectus abdomins musculotaneous(TRAM) flap or latissimus dorsi musculocutaneousflap plus placement of a mammary implant.Methods From June 1997 to June 2002, 11 patients were proven to have ductal carcinoma in situor huge breast carcinoid by pathological examination. The site of the biopsy incision was around the areola. The patients underwent mastectomy with skin sparing by a circumareolar incision and immediate breast reconstruction withTRAM flap or latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap plus placement of mammary implant.Autogenous tissue was used to fill the skin envelop. The second stage operation of nipple-areola reconstruction was performed on the replaced skin.Results Eleven patients were followed up 1 month to 6 years.The operative result was good and all patients had no relapse. The reconstructed breast achieved good results in shape, colour, sensation, symmetry and incision scar. Conclusion The skin sparing mastectomy and immediate autograft tissue breast reconstruction is an ideal reconstructive method for the patients with breast ductal carcinoma in situ or huge breast carcinoid in condition that there were strict operative indication and relapse can be prevented.
ObjectiveTo generalize the application and prospect of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) in deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap transfer for breast reconstruction.MethodsThe related literature using CTA for DIEP flap reconstruction of breast in recent years was reviewed and analyzed.ResultsPreoperative CTA can accurately assess the vascular anatomy of the chest and abdomen wall, precisely locating the perforator in the abdominal donor site, and identifying the dominant perforator; guide the selection of intercostal space to explore internal mammary artery and internal mammary artery perforator in the chest recipient vessels. It can also reconstruct the volume of the abdominal flap with reference to the size of the contralateral breast and pre-shape the abdominal flap, which are crucial to formulate the surgical plan and improve the reliability of flap.ConclusionPreoperative CTA has enormous application potential and prospects in locating donor area perforator, in selecting recipient vessels, and in evaluating breast volume for autologous breast reconstruction with DIEP flap.
Objective To investigate if intercostal neurovascular perforator can nourish lower abdominal flap. Methods Between June 2017 and December 2020, in 39 female patients with predominant perforator originated from intercostal nerve nutrient vessels, main trunk of the deep inferior epigastric vessels was chosen to be the pedicle to harvest free lower abdominal flap for breast reconstruction. The age of the patients ranged from 28 to 52 years, with an average of 38.6 years. There were 16 cases on the left and 23 cases on the right. The duration of breast cancer was 3-32 months, with an average of 21.8 months. Pathological stage was stageⅡin 31 cases and stage Ⅲ in 8 cases. Among them, 25 cases were primary tumor resection and one stage breast reconstruction and 14 cases were delayed breast reconstruction. Results The lower abdominal flap pedicled with one side pedicle was harvested in 32 cases, all of which were supplied by the main trunk of the deep inferior epigastric vessel combined with the intercostal neurovascular perforator; 7 cases were harvested with bilateral pedicled lower abdominal flaps, of which 4 cases were supplied by the main trunk of the deep inferior epigastric vessel combined with intercostal neurovascular perforator on one side and deep inferior epigastric artery perforator on the other side, and the other 3 cases were supplied by bilateral main trunk of the deep inferior epigastric vessel and the intercostal neurovascular perforator. In the flaps nourished with the main trunk of the deep inferior epigastric vessel combined with the intercostal neurovascular perforator, the intercostal neurovascular perforators were one branch type in 15 cases, one branch+reticular type in 19 sides, and reticular type in 8 sides. The size of flap ranged from 26 cm×10 cm to 31 cm×13 cm; the thickness was 2.5-5.5 cm (mean, 2.9 cm); the vascular pedicle length was 7.0-11.5 cm (mean, 9.2 cm); the weight of the flap was 350-420 g (mean, 390 g). All the flaps survived completely and the incisions at donor sites healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 14-35 months (mean, 25.4 months). The shape, texture, and elasticity of reconstructed breasts were good and no flap contracture happened. Only linear scar left at the donor site, the function of abdomen was not affected. No local recurrence happened. ConclusionWhen the direct perforator of the deep inferior epigastric artery may not provide reliable blood supply for the lower abdominal flap, the intercostal neurovascular perforator with deep inferior epigastric vessels can ensure the blood supply of the free lower abdominal flap.
