Esthetic considerations in surgical excision of benign breast lesions

Research

Ioannidis Charilaos

Iaso hospital, Athens, Greece

Correspondence: Ioannidis Charilaos, Iaso hospital, 264 Mesogeion Avenue, GR – 15562, Athens, Greece, E – mail: ioannidc@otenet.gr


Introduction: Benign lesions are a common finding in the female breast. Surgical excision is, usually, the preferred definitive mode of treatment. This, however, often results in formation of unsightly scars and/or distortion of breast shape. Application of certain plastic surgical principles may contribute to the minimization of the aforementioned sequelae. Patients and methods: The charts of 43 consecutive female patients with benign breast pathology, surgically excised, were retrospectively analyzed. A periareolar incision was used to access the lesion. A small group of 3
patients, in which a curvilinear incision following Lange’s skin tension lines was used, served as control. The resultant defect was immediately reconstructed in all patients using a breast advancement flap, a breast rotation flap or a ‘controlled’ hematoma. Follow – up ranged from 6 months to 3.5 years. Postoperative complications and recurrences were recorded. The esthetic result using a 4 – point scale, as well as the patients’ satisfaction using a 3 – point scale, was assessed. Results: There were neither recurrences nor postoperative complications. There were neither hypertrophic or unsightly scars nor distortion of the breast shape. The result was judged as excellent or good in 95% of cases. All patients were either very satisfied or satisfied with the outcome.
Conclusion: The high rate of excellent and good results and the high rate of patient satisfaction observed in this retrospective study allow us to recommend the periareolar incision and the immediate defect reconstruction as useful adjuncts to surgical excision of benign breast lesions.

Keywords: Benign breast lesions, surgical excision, periareolar incision, breast advancement flap, reconstruction

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