Clinical effectiveness of transaxillary single-port endoscopic surgery in the treatment of breast benign tumor.

BACKGROUND

Benign breast lumps affect 10% of women in their lifetimes. Endoscopic surgery could be an alternative surgical technique for benign breast tumors because it is performed through small wounds hidden in inconspicuous areas. The aim of this study was to explore the safety and esthetic effects of endoscopic surgery in the treatment of benign breast disease.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study analyzed 363 patients with benign breast tumors from August 2021 to December 2023 in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, of whom 118 underwent transaxillary single-port endoscopic surgery and 245 underwent traditional open surgery. Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgery type, hospital stay, and complications were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of the procedure for benign breast tumors.

RESULTS

Breast tumor resection was successfully performed in 363 patients by endoscopic surgery or traditional open surgery. Endoscopic procedures demonstrated longer durations of surgery (98.54 ± 35.17 min vs. 70.28 ± 26.06 min, p < 0.01) and postoperative drainage (64.30 ± 34.92 mL vs.18.49 ± 19.86 mL, p < 0.01), but there was less blood loss. The nipple-areolar complex of the patients who underwent endoscopic resection was significantly more sensitive than the traditional open surgery group. Patients in the endoscopic group reported higher satisfaction with surgical outcome (13.10 ± 1.97 vs. 12.63 ± 1.90, p < 0.01). And there was a significant difference in the wound scar and cosmetic outcome total score between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Transaxillary single-port endoscopic surgery is effective and safe and improves postoperative nipple-areolar sensation and cosmetic outcome, as compared to the conventional technique.