Early experience of endoscopic extirpation of benign breast tumors via an extra-mammary incision.

The early results of 6 patients with a benign breast mass who underwent an endoscopic extirpation via an extra-mammary incision were presented. Under general anesthesia in either a lateral or supine position, a 12-mm and two 5-mm incisions in the infra-mammary line in 2 patients and in the mid-axillary line in the remaining 4 patients were made. The tumors were then endoscopically extirpated. Preoperative aspiration needle cytology revealed six fibroadenomas in 5 patients and one intraductal papilloma in the other patient. All patients were single females with a mean age of 22.5 years. The maximal size of the masses was 5 cm on average. The average operation time was 3 hours 20 minutes. Regarding postoperative complications, subcutaneous emphysema extending to the neck due to CO2 gas inflation and a burn in the skin were seen in 1 patient each; however, no further treatment was required in these cases. The postoperative hospital stay was 1.7 days on average, and all patients were extremely satisfied with the cosmetic results of the procedure. The cosmetic results are drastically improved by the application of endoscopic removal via extra-mammary approaches, which are newly introduced, for benign breast tumors.