Skin-reducing mastectomy using inferior pedicle dermal fat flaps in immediate reconstruction of medium and large hypertrophic breasts

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Breast cancer is the most common type of neoplasm among women (except for non-melanoma skin cancers), and in the past few years, its treatment greatly evolved with skin-sparing mastectomies. Breasts with grades II and III ptosis are difficult to approach and require an aesthetic reduction of the cutaneous envelope after adenomastectomy.

Methods:

A retrospective study was conducted from January 2013 to January 2016. This included all patients undergoing adenomastectomy and immediate reconstruction via reduction of the cutaneous envelope using Pitanguy’s marking technique associated with the use of a prosthesis or expander above the submuscular plane and below the dermal fat flap.

Results:

A total of 15 patients were operated on based on the proposed technique, accounting for a total of 25 breasts (10 cases were bilateral). Twelve patients had cancer; two underwent prophylactic surgery; and one developed juvenile giant fibroadenoma. In two cases, an expander was used, and in 23 breasts, a definitive prosthesis was placed in a single surgical period. In three breasts, the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) was resected for oncological reasons; of the 22 preserved, 15 underwent grafting, and seven underwent elevation through the superior pedicle flap. There were five complications (20%): three seromas (12%), one necrosis at the “T” junction (4%), and one total NAC necrosis (4%).

Conclusion:

The technique described is an effective and reproducible method of immediate breast reconstruction using implants in a single period in patients with large breasts. However, the right patients should be selected because the risks of complications cannot be neglected.

Keywords:
Breast neoplasms; Subcutaneous mastectomy; Mammoplasty; Surgical flaps; Breast Implants.