Removal of the breast should not damage the nipple

There are many techniques breast removal or mastectomy when diagnosed with cancer. Without damaging the nipple during retrieval has been widely debated, but studies have shown this technique quite effectively eradicate cancer cells. Removal of the breast without damaging the nipple, otherwise known as niple-sparing mastectomy actually has advantages if compared to other techniques.

Because the area of ​​the nipple and areola are brown not tampered, then the appearance and function of the breasts will be more awake. There have been concerns that this procedure might leave cancer cells under the nipple, which could put women at long-term risk. But this 21-year study of 162 nipple-sparing mastectomies conducted between 1989 and 2010 found no new cancers or cancer recurrences among the patients.

The study appears in the November issue of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
“The nipple-sparing technique is not appropriate for every patient depending upon their anatomy and type of breast pathology. Careful selection of the right patient for [nipple-sparing mastectomy] is an important element of success,” Dr. Scott Spear, chairman of the plastic surgery department at Georgetown University Hospital, said in the release.

Another concern about nipple-sparing mastectomy is that the nipple areola complex (NAC) might not receive enough blood after the tissue and blood vessels below it are removed, resulting in tissue death (necrosis).

In this study, three NACs became necrotic and had to be removed. Four other NACs developed partial necrosis that required surgery, but the nipple and majority of the areola were preserved in all four cases.

“What we’ve learned from this review is that our established procedures and patient-selection protocol lead to favorable results,” Spear said. “As more data become available, I think we’ll see nipple-sparing mastectomy play a larger role, particularly in the prevention setting.”