Nipple delay prior to completion mastectomy for oncoplastic surgery

Abstract

Oncoplastic breast surgery is becoming increasingly popular, aiming to provide adequate oncological clearance of a tumour, whilst devoting attention to breast aesthetics. There are instances, however, where completion mastectomy is necessary, and this poses a threat to nipple viability due to the previous oncoplastic procedure. Delay is a technique used to axialise the blood supply of an angiosome, providing more reliable supply to a distal segment of tissue. This report details two cases where the technique of nipple delay was used to ensure nipple-areolar viability prior to proceeding with completion mastectomy. Nipple delay assists in the decision-making process for completion mastectomy in this setting, anticipating the results of complete oncological clearance whilst ensuring the best aesthetic outcome.