Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy

Nipple-sparing mastectomy in conjunction with immediate breast reconstruction is becoming more and more popular so I thought a blog post about it was in order...What is a nipple-sparing mastectomy?A nipple-sparing mastectomy preserves the nipple,  areola and all the surrounding breast skin which is then used for the breast reconstruction. Unlike the traditional "modified radical mastectomy", nipple-sparing mastectomy only removes the breast tissue ("parenchyma") under the skin.What are the benefits?Studies show that nipple-sparing mastectomy provides the same level of surgical treatment as a modified radical mastectomy in appropriate candidates. Preserving the nipple-areola complex adds to the quality of the reconstruction making the results even more "natural". It also means the patient avoids having to go through the additional steps of nipple reconstruction and tattooing.Who is a candidate?Nipple-sparing mastectomy is an option for many patients with a small cancer located several centimeters away from the nipple-areola complex. Patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) can also be candidates, again depending on the location and distance from the nipple-areola.During the surgery, a biopsy ("frozen section") is taken from behind the nipple-areola complex and sent to pathology to make sure there is no cancer under the nipple or areola. If this biopsy is negative then the area can be preserved. If it is positive for cancer cells, the nipple and areola are obviously r...
Source: Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: BRCA breast reconstruction cowden's syndrome mastectomy modified radical mastectomy nipple areola nipple sparing mastectomy nipple-sparing prophylactic mastectomy strong family history Source Type: blogs