Simmons Rache M, Hollenbeck Scott T, Latrenta Gregory S
Department of Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and Weill Cornell Breast Center, 425 East 61st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Ann Plast Surg. 2003 Dec;51(6):547-51. doi: 10.1097/01.sap.0000095659.93306.48.
Skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction is a proved option for patients with early-stage breast cancer requiring mastectomy. Based on the authors' recent pathologic analysis of mastectomy specimens showing less than 1% malignant involvement of the areola, they have begun to perform areola-sparing mastectomies (ASMs) on a select group of patients. They report their results from an ongoing study of ASM at their institution. During a 20-month period, 17 ASMs with immediate reconstruction were performed on 12 patients. Mastectomy was performed for breast cancer prophylaxis (n = 10), ductal carcinoma in situ (n = 4), and less than 2 cm of peripheral infiltrating carcinoma (n = 3). The most frequent incision performed was intraareola (n = 13). Thirteen patients were reconstructed with tissue expanders and 4 with pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps. There was 1 postoperative complication, which consisted of a localized wound infection. Overall the authors found that ASM with immediate reconstruction provides excellent aesthetic results with infrequent complications.
