New Nipple-Sharing Technique That Preserves the Anatomic Structure of the Donor Nipple for Breastfeeding

Abstract

Although nipple-sharing in unilateral breast reconstruction is no longer a new technique, it offers the potential for an excellent match with the contralateral natural nipple. It also is particularly useful for cases in which a local flap elevation for nipple reconstruction likely would lead to complications. However, the established nipple-sharing techniques cannot be applied to patients who wish to preserve breastfeeding functionality even if the technique would otherwise be considered favorable. To overcome this obstacle, the authors devised a new nipple-sharing technique that does not damage the anatomic structure of the donor nipple for breastfeeding. This report presents this new technique as an option for nipple reconstruction. The new technique consists of harvesting tissue by the circumcision method of nipple reduction and grafting the tissue in a spiral configuration. The reported technique has been performed for nine patients. All the reconstructed nipples have retained their projection and their suitability as matches for the contralateral nipples throughout a maximum follow-up period of 5 years. The new technique allows nipple-sharing to be applied while preserving the anatomic structure of the donor nipple for breastfeeding.