Background Psychological effects of mastectomy for women with breast cancer have driven treatments that optimize cosmesis while strictly adhering to oncologic principles. Although skin-sparing mastectomy is oncologically safe, questions remain regarding the use of nipple–areola complex (NAC)-sparing mastectomy (NSM). We prospectively evaluated NSM for patients undergoing mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer or risk reduction. Methods We enrolled 33 early-stage breast cancer and high-risk patient; 54 NSMs were performed. NAC viability and surgical complications were evaluated. Intraoperative and postoperative pathologic assessments of the NAC base tissue were performed. NAC sensory, cosmetic and quality of life (QOL) outcomes were also assessed. Results Twenty-one bilateral and 12 unilateral NSMs were performed in 33 patients, 37 (68.5%) for prophylaxis and 17 (31.5%) for malignancy. Mean age was 45.4 years. Complications occurred in 16 NACs (29.6%) and 6 skin flaps (11.1%). Operative intervention for necrosis resulted in 4 NAC removals (7.4%). Two (11.8%) of the 17 breasts with cancer had ductal carcinoma-in-situ at the NAC margin, necessitating removal at mastectomy. All evaluable patients had nipple erection at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Cosmetic outcome, evaluated by two plastic surgeons, was acceptable in 73.0% of breasts and 55.8% of NACs, but lateral displacement occurred in most cases. QOL assessment indicated patient satisfaction. Conclusions NSM is technically feasible in select patients, with a low risk for NAC removal resulting from necrosis or intraoperative detection of cancer, and preserves sensation and QOL. Thorough pathologic assessment of the NAC base is critical to ensure disease eradication.

Background-Scarring is a highly prevalent and multifactorial process, yet no studies to date have attempted to distinguish pathologic from non-pathologic scarring.

Although the differences in histomorphology between the surgical and nonsurgical weight loss groups did not reach statistical significance, the results demonstrated an existence of weight loss-induced histomorphological skin changes that may impact future studies. The study did not demonstrate a relationship between dermal histomorphology and postoperative wound complications, suggesting that aberrant healing in body contouring procedures involves a multifactorial process.

Introduction:When recipient veins for free-flap breast reconstruction are unavailable or inadequate, vein grafts or cephalic vein transposition (CVT) an option to provide alternate venous outflow. There are no comparative data to elucidate the indications and outcomes for each. We hypothesize that the CVT is as reliable as vein grafts when indicated.Methods:All consecutive cases where a CVT or venous vein grafts were used for free-flap breast reconstruction between 2000 and 2012 were reviewed. Patient demographics, operative notes, indications, and flap survival were compared between the 2 groups.Results:Ten patients underwent a CVT and 38 patients received a vein graft for insufficient venous outflow. There were no differences in average age, body mass index, or comorbid conditions between the groups. Similarly, there was no difference in previous radiotherapy, timing of reconstruction, or side of reconstruction. A CVT was used for salvage following venous thrombosis in 7 patients (70.0%) and for primary venous outflow in the remaining patients due to inability to use the internal mammary vein. Vein grafts were performed primarily in 31 patients, 22 for augmenting venous drainage (supercharge), 9 for the dominant venous outflow, and 7 for salvage of a thrombosis. One patient in each group suffered a complete loss of the free flap (cephalic: 10.0% vs vein graft: 14.3%, P = 0.36).Conclusions:The CVT is a reliable alternate venous outflow that can be used as a primary recipient vein or as a salvage option following venous thrombosis. Surgeons should consider a CVT when primary recipient veins are compromised or unavailable.

We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in multicentric ⁄ multifocal breast cancer. In this prospective study, 23 women with multicentric ⁄ multifocal breast cancer underwent SLNB at our institution from April 2002 to February 2006. Presence of preoperative axillary metastases was confirmed by FNA. Patients underwent sub-areolar radiopharmaceutical injection ± isosulfan blue to perform SLNB, then completion ALND. The false-negative (FN) rate of SLNB was determined based upon final pathology. Twenty women with multicentric and three with multifocal invasive carcinoma were enrolled. The SLN identification rate was 100%. The overall FN rate of SLNB was 15% (95% CI 0.0466, 0.4281). Both cases with FN SLNB had multicentric disease, pathologic stage III breast cancer and a larger tumor burden compared with the study population. SLNB using sub-areolar injection is feasible for patients with multicentric ⁄ multifocal breast cancer yet may be associated with a higher FN rate in patients with large additive tumor burden.

As the use of closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) becomes more widespread, dressing designs have evolved to address implementation challenges and meet surgeon demand. While traditional application of ciNPT was limited to the immediate suture line, a novel dressing that covers the incision and additional surrounding tissues has become available. To expand upon previous ciNPT recommendations and provide guidance on this new dressing, an expert panel of plastic surgeons convened to review the current literature, identify challenges to the implementation and sustainability of ciNPT, and use a modified Delphi technique to form a consensus on the appropriate use of ciNPT with full‐coverage dressings. After three rounds of collecting expert opinion via the Delphi method, consensus was reached if 80% of the panel agreed upon a statement. This manuscript establishes 10 consensus statements regarding when ciNPT with full‐coverage foam dressings should be considered or recommended in the presence of patient or incision risk factors, effective therapeutic settings and duration, precautions for use, and tools and techniques to support application. The panel also discussed areas of interest for future study of ciNPT with full‐coverage dressings. High‐quality, controlled studies are needed to expand the understanding of the benefits of ciNPT over the incision and surrounding tissues.

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"Supersize" panniculectomy is defined as a panniculectomy in the obese patient population with a resected pannus specimen weight greater than or equal to 10 kg, and a pannus formation that extends to the mid-thigh level or below. Despite the obstacles and reported high complication rates, the incidence of major complications in this series justifies the operative intervention in patients with an otherwise therapy-resistant "supersize" pannus. A preoperative computed tomographic imaging may rule out an underlying hernia in most cases and is recommended by the authors.