Endoscopic Nipple Sparing Mastectomy Research Articles

A novel technique of reverse-sequence endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy with direct-to-implant breast reconstruction: medium-term oncological safety outcomes and feasibility of 24-h discharge for breast cancer patients.

Due to the short operation time and no need for special instruments, reverse-sequence endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (R-E-NSM) with direct-to-implant breast reconstruction (DIBR) has been rapidly becoming popular in the last three years. However, there has yet to be an evaluation of its oncologic safety or the feasibility of discharging patients within 24 h. In this single-centre retrospective cohort study, individuals diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer between May 2020 and April 2022 who underwent traditional open mastectomy or R-E-NSM with DIBR were included. Follow-up started on the date of surgery and ended in December 2023. Data, including demographics, tumour characteristics, medium-term oncological outcomes, and postoperative complications, were collected and analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to minimize selection bias. This study included 1679 patients [median (IQR) age, 50 [44-57) years]. Of these, 344 patients underwent R-E-NSM with DIBR (RE-R group), and 1335 patients underwent traditional open mastectomy (TOM group). The median [IQR] follow-up time was 30 [24-36] months [29 (23-33) months in the RE-R group and 30([24-36) months in the TOM group]. Regarding before or after PSM, the P value of local recurrence-free survival (LRFS, 0.910 and 0.450), regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS, 0.780 and 0.620), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS, 0.061 and 0.130), overall survival (OS, 0.260 and 0.620), disease-free survival (DFS, 0.120 and 0.330) were not significantly different between the RE-R group and the TOM group. The 3y-LRFS and 3y-DFS rates were 99.0% and 97.1% for the RE-R group and 99.5% and 95.3% for the TOM group, respectively. The rates of any complications and major complications were not significantly different between the RE-R patients who were discharged within 24 h and the RE-R patients who were not discharged within 24 h ( P =0.290, P =0.665, respectively) or the TOM patients who were discharged within 24 h ( P =0.133, P =0.136, respectively). R-E-NSM with DIBR is an innovative oncologic surgical procedure that not only improves cosmetic outcomes but also ensures reliable oncologic safety and fewer complications, enabling patients to be safely discharged within 24 h. A long-term prospective multicenter assessment will be supporting.

Reverse-sequence endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate implant-based breast reconstruction: an improvement of conventional minimal access breast surgery.

Our center proposes a new technique that effectively provides space to broaden the surgical field of view and overcomes the limitations of endoscopy-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy (E-NSM) by changing the dissection sequence and combining it with air inflation. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of the new technique designated "reverse-sequence endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (R-E-NSM) with subpectoral breast reconstruction (SBR)" and the conventional E-NSM (C-E-NSM) with SBR. All patients undergoing E-NSM with SBR at our breast center between April 2017 and December 2022 were included in this study. The cohort was divided into the C-E-NSM group and the R-E-NSM group. The operation time, anesthesia time, medical cost, complications, cosmetic outcomes, and oncological safety were compared. Twenty-six and seventy-nine consecutive patients were included in the C-E-NSM and R-E-NSM groups, with average ages of 36.9 ± 7.0 years and 39.7 ± 8.4 years (P=0.128). Patients in the R-E-NSM group had significantly shorter operation time (204.6 ± 59.2 vs. 318.9 ± 75.5 minutes, p<0.001) and anesthesia time (279.4 ± 83.9 vs. 408.9 ± 87.4 minutes, p<0.001) and decreased medical costs [5063.4 (4439.6-6532.3) vs. 6404.2 (5152.5-7981.5), USD, p=0.001] and increase SCAR-Q scores (77.2 ± 17.1 vs. 68.8 ± 8.7, P=0.002) compared to the C-E-NSM group. Although trends increased in both the excellent rate of Ueda scores (53.8% vs. 42.3%, P = 0.144), excellent rate of Harris scores (44.0% vs. 63.1%, P=0.102), and decreased surgical complications (7.6% vs. 19.2%, P = 0.135) were observed in the R-E-NSM group, the differences were not significant. There were no significant differences in oncological outcomes between the two groups. R-E-NSM improves cosmetic outcomes and efficiency of C-E-NSM, reduces medical costs, and has a trend of lower surgical complications while maintaining the safety of oncology. It is a safe and feasible option for oncological procedures that deserves to be promoted and widely adopted in practice.

Clinical Outcomes of Transaxillary Reverse-Sequence Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy and Direct-to-Implant Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction: A Prospective Study of Initial 68 Procedures.

Minimal access breast surgery improves cosmetic outcomes over conventional breast surgery but still faces barriers in becoming standard procedure for breast reconstruction. This report introduces a novel technique of transaxillary reverse-sequence endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (R-E-NSM) followed by direct-to-implant prepectoral breast reconstruction (DTI-PBR) and describes its clinical outcomes. This prospective study enrolled patients who underwent R-E-NSM and DTI-PBR from March 2021 to December 2021 at a single institution. Perioperative data, surgical complications, oncologic outcomes, and patient- and surgeon-reported cosmetic results were noted. The 60 patients in this study who underwent 68 R-E-NSM and DTI-PBR had a mean age was 40.4 ± 10.3 years. The average durations of uni- and bilateral operations were 156.5 ± 48.3 min and 191.3 ± 36.1 min, respectively. The overall surgical complication rate was 13.3%, including 10.0% of patients with minor complications and 3.3% of patients with major complications. The study had one case (1.7%) of implant loss and one case (1.7%) of skin flap necrosis treated by reoperation. During the median follow-up period of 24 months, one patient (1.7%) who discontinued chemotherapy for myelosuppression experienced liver metastases 5months postoperatively, and one patient experienced new-onset contralateral ductal carcinoma in situ 24 months postoperatively. The preoperative and 18-month postoperative Breast-Q scores for satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial well-being, sexual well-being, and chest well-being did not differ significantly, and the Scar-Q was 81.2 ± 14.5 points. The good-to-excellent rate in surgeon-reported cosmetic results reached 90%. Transaxillary R-E-NSM followed by DTI-PBR is a safe and efficient technique with high cosmetic outcomes and reliable medium-term oncologic results.

A retrospective cohort study of the postoperative prothesis-related complications of single-port endoscopic assisted versus open surgery on nipple sparing mastectomy and immediate prosthesis breast reconstruction

Objective: To examine the postoperative prosthesis-related complications, short-term surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction with breast reconstruction between patients who underwent endoscopic assisted versus conventional nipple sparing mastectomy and immediate prothesis breast reconstruction. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data of 104 women with breast cancer who received nipple sparing mastectomy and immediate prothesis breast reconstruction from August 2021 to August 2022 at the Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University. They were divided into two groups according to the surgical approach. A total of 53 patients, aged (43.3±9.9) years (range: 25 to 66 years), underwent endoscopic nipple sparing mastectomy (E-NSM group) and immediate prothesis breast reconstruction. The other 51 patients aged (39.9±7.8) years (range: 25 to 54 years) underwent conventional open surgery (C-NSM group). Short-term surgical outcomes including operation time, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative blood loss, and postoperative drainage volume in 2 days were recorded. Patient satisfaction with breast reconstruction was compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Postoperative prothesis-related complications were investigated to determine the experience to deal with them. Results: No postoperative prosthesis-related infection, prosthesis loss, or necrosis of the nipple-areola complex occurred in the E-NSM group, while 1 patient suffered from hematoma, whose wound was skinned with resuture after disinfection. Five patients in the C-NSM group had prosthesis-related infection, 2 of them received prosthesis removal surgery combined with sufficient antimicrobial agent, another one underwent surgery for subcutaneous placement of the drain, as well as antimicrobial agent therapy, and the rest of them healed up only with antimicrobial agent therapy. All recovered well after treatment. One patient recovered from necrosis of the nipple-areola complex through periodic iodophor disinfection and dressing which ended in improvement of necrotic areas, another patient who had hematoma accepted the same treatment mentioned above and also healed. All the patients mentioned above are now in stable conditions. Patients in the E-NSM group had higher satisfaction with the cosmetic results of the breast prosthesis implant than those in the C-NSM group (Z=-4.511, P<0.01). Conclusions: Both surgical approaches were proven to be safe and effective with a low rate of postoperative prosthesis-related complications. Patients in the E-NSM group were more satisfied with the cosmetic results of breast reconstruction than those in the C-NSM group.

ASO Author Reflections: A Novel Technique of Transaxillary Reverse-Sequence Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy and Direct-to-Implant Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction.

ASO Author Reflections: A Novel Technique of Transaxillary Reverse-Sequence Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy and Direct-to-Implant Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction.

Usefulness of cordless ultrasonic cutting energy devices in endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy: a retrospective study.

Endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (E-NSM) is a minimally invasive surgical technique that shows good results in patients with breast cancer. The authors compared 3 different types of commercial energy devices to examine their efficacy and safety in E-NSM performed with breast reconstruction. A total of 36 cases of E-NSM were conducted with either Sonicision (S group, n = 11), Harmonic (H group, n = 6), or Thunderbeat (T group, n = 19). The clinicopathologic factors and postoperative complications, including nipple or skin necrosis and surgical site seroma volume, were evaluated for 3 months after surgery. The surgical duration of E-NSM was significantly shorter in the S group than in the H group (P = 0.043) and T group (P = 0.037). However, the total surgical duration including E-NSM and breast reconstruction, and the total and daily drainage volume of postoperative seroma did not differ significantly among the 3 groups. Even when the energy devices were compared according to their working principle, i.e., ultrasonic (S and H) vs. hybrid (T), the total breast surgery duration and total and daily drainage volume of seroma showed no difference between the 2 groups. Although surgeon satisfaction did not significantly differ when using 3 devices for E-NSM (P = 0.428), surgeon's fatigue was found to be lowest in the S group, though it was not significant (P = 0.064). Any energy device can be safely used for E-NSM with breast reconstruction without causing any major complications. However, cordless ultrasonic energy devices allow greater mobility for the surgeon and, therefore, may shorten surgical time in breast surgery.

Twenty-four-hour discharge of patients after endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy and direct-to-implant breast reconstruction: safety and aesthetic outcomes from a prospective cohort study.

Twenty-four-hour discharge of patients after endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy and direct-to-implant breast reconstruction: safety and aesthetic outcomes from a prospective cohort study.

Single Axillary Incision Reverse Sequence Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in the Management of Gynecomastia: Short-Term Cosmetic Outcomes, Surgical Safety, and Learning Curve of the Preliminary 156 Consecutive Procedures from a Prospective Cohort Study

Single Axillary Incision Reverse Sequence Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in the Management of Gynecomastia: Short-Term Cosmetic Outcomes, Surgical Safety, and Learning Curve of the Preliminary 156 Consecutive Procedures from a Prospective Cohort Study

Single-port insufflation endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy in early breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in female patients. In recent years, more and more studies have focused on how to improve the appearance and the quality of life for patients. This study aimed to compare the oncologic safety, aesthetic results, and upper extremity function between single-port insufflation endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (SIE-NSM) and conventional open mastectomy (C-OM) in early-stage breast cancer treatment. In our retrospective cohort, 285 patients with stage I and II breast cancer were categorized into the SIE-NSM group (n=71) and the C-OM group (n=214). We assessed local recurrence, distant metastasis, and upper extremity function across the two groups. The BREAST-Q scale was employed to analyze differences in aesthetic results, psychosocial well-being, and sexual health. The risk of local recurrence was evaluated using multivariable binary logistic regression, while a multivariable linear regression model gauged upper extremity function and aesthetic outcomes. Local recurrence rates between the two groups were statistically similar (1/71, 1.4% for SIE-NSM vs. 2/214, 0.9% for C-OM, P=0.735), as confirmed by the multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. Neither group exhibited distant metastases. The SIE-NSM group demonstrated higher scores in satisfaction with breasts, chest wellness, psychosocial health, and sexual well-being (P<0.001). The SIE-NSM group also exhibited superior outcomes regarding chest wall/breast pain, shoulder mobility, and daily arm usage (P<0.001). No subcutaneous effusion was reported in the SIE-NSM group, whereas the C-OM group had a 10.7% incidence rate (P=0.004). SIE-NSM offers comparable oncologic safety to C-OM but provides enhanced satisfaction regarding breast appearance, physical comfort, psychosocial health, sexual health, and improved upper extremity functionality. Consequently, this innovative approach is a suitable surgical alternative for treating early-stage breast cancer.

Transaxillary Single-Port Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy with Immediate Implant-based Breast Reconstruction in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy or Not: A Comparative Study with Analysis of Surgical Complications and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

In most cases, transaxillary single-port endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate implant-based breast reconstruction (E-NSM-IIBR) is conducted in patients with early-stage breast cancer, ensuring surgical safety while achieving improved breast aesthetics. However, whether E-NSM-IIBR is appropriate in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is still unclear. The aim of this study was to report the surgical safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of breast cancer patients who underwent E-NSM-IIBR with NAC in comparison to those who did not receive NAC. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent E-NSM-IIBR with or without NAC at a single center between January 2021 and July 2022. Patient demographics, postoperative complications, and PROs evaluated using the BREAST-Q version 2.0 questionnaire were compared between the two groups. Factors associated with PROs at 9 months after surgery were assessed with linear regression analysis. A total of 92 patients who underwent E-NSM-IIBR were included in the study, with 27 patients receiving NAC and 65 patients not receiving NAC. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups. The BREAST-Q version 2.0 questionnaire was completed by 24 out of 27 patients (88.9%) in the NAC group and 59 out of 65 patients (90.8%) in the non-NAC group at 9 months after surgery. The patient-reported outcomes in various domains of the BREAST-Q did not show a significant difference between the two cohorts. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicated that in the both groups age (β = - 0.985, 95% CI - 1.598 to - 0.371, p = 0.003 in the NAC group; β = - 0.510, - 1.011 to - 0.009, p = 0.046 in the non-NAC group) and rippling (β = - 21.862, - 36.768 to - 6.955, p = 0.006 in the NAC group; β = - 7.787, - 15.151 to - 0.423, p = 0.039 in the non-NAC group) significantly impacted the patients' satisfaction with breasts, and PMRT was negatively associated with patients' physical well-being of chest (β = - 13.813, - 26.962 to - 0.664, p = 0.040 in the NAC group; β = - 18.574, - 30.661 to - 6.487, p = 0.003 in the non-NAC group). Our findings revealed that patients with larger implant volumes had higher scores in psychosocial well-being (β = 0.082, 0.001 to 0.162, p = 0.047), whereas implant displacement (β = - 14.937, - 28.175 to - 1.700, p=0.028) had a negative impact on patients' psychological well-being in the non-NAC group. However, our results did not demonstrate any significant influencing factors on patients' psychosocial well-being within the NAC group. Our preliminary experiences confirm that E-NSM-IIBR is a safe option for selected patients even after NAC, with favorable patient-reported outcomes comparable with those in the primary surgery setting. The postoperative long-term outcomes of patients who undergo radiation therapy after NAC merit further investigation in the future. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Single axillary incision reverse-order endoscopic nipple/skin-sparing mastectomy followed by subpectoral implant-based breast reconstruction: Technique, clinical outcomes, and aesthetic results from 88 preliminary procedures

BackgroundSingle axillary incision reverse-order endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy overcomes the limitations of conventional endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy application. We introduce this technique and report the preliminary results of this study. MethodsPatients who received single axillary incision reverse-order endoscopic nipple-/skin-sparing mastectomy from May 2020 to May 2022 were enrolled from a single institution. Data were analyzed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this technique. Patient-reported and surgeon-reported cosmetic outcomes were collected. ResultsIn total, 68 patients who underwent 88 single axillary incision reverse-order endoscopic nipple-/skin-sparing mastectomy combined with subpectoral implant-based breast reconstruction were enrolled in the current study. The overall complication rate was 10.3%. In total, 2.9% of patients suffered from major complications, and 5 (7.4%) experienced minor complications. Only 1 patient experienced partial nipple-areola complex necrosis. During a median follow-up time of 24 months, the locoregional recurrence and distant metastasis rate was both 1.6%. In the surgeon-reported cosmetic results, 92.1% of patients achieved good or excellent results. The mean SCAR-Q scores were 82.07 ± 8.86, and 85.3% evaluated their breasts as good or excellent. The mean overall cost was 5,670.4 ± 1,351.3 USD. The total mean operation time and maturity-stage mean operation time were 234.3 ± 80.4 and 172.55 ± 41.29 min, respectively. According to cumulative sum plot analysis, approximately 18 cases were needed for surgeons to decrease their operation time significantly and complication rate. ConclusionSingle axillary incision reverse-order endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy is a safe, less expensive, and efficient surgical technique with reliable intermediate-term oncologic safety. For suitable candidates, the technique with subpectoral implant-based breast reconstruction can provide a good cosmetic outcome.

Mastectomy with Reconstruction Including Robotic Endoscopic Surgery (MARRES): a prospective cohort study of the Korea Robot-Endoscopy Minimal Access Breast Surgery Study Group (KoREa-BSG) and Korean Breast Cancer Study Group (KBCSG)

BackgroundRobotic nipple-sparing mastectomy (RNSM) has emerged as a new treatment option for breast cancer and risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) for women who have a high risk of pathogenic variants. Even though several studies have reported that RNSM is a feasible procedure, some argue that it should only be performed by specialized surgeons, and data on oncologic outcomes and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are limited. Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration and several surgeons warned that robotic breast surgery should be performed only by specialized surgeons and recommended that the benefits, risks, and alternatives of all available treatment options be discussed with patients so they can make informed treatment decisions. The Korea Robot-Endoscopy Minimal Access Breast Surgery Study Group (KoREa-BSG) has been established to evaluate, standardize, and teach this state-of-the-art procedure. We have designed a multicenter prospective cohort study entitled Mastectomy with Reconstruction Including Robot Endoscopic Surgery (MARRES) to report surgical, PRO, and oncologic outcomes.MethodsMARRES is a multi-institution cohort study prospectively collecting data from patients undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction. The patient inclusion criteria are adult women older than 19 with breast cancer or a high risk of breast cancer (patients with BRCA1/2, TP53, PALB2 mutations, etc.), who have scheduled therapeutic or RRM and want immediate reconstruction. Surgical outcomes, including pre- and postoperative photos, oncologic outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and PRO, are collected. The primary endpoints are postoperative complication rates within 30 postoperative days and the Clavien-Dindo grade of postoperative complications within 180 postoperative days. The secondary endpoints are 5-year postoperative recurrence-free survival and cancer incidence rate (for those who underwent RRM), patient satisfaction with reconstruction expectations preoperative (baseline) and results within 6 to 12 postoperative months, surgeon satisfaction with postoperative results in 6 postoperative months, and cost-effectiveness of the definitive surgery. Patient recruitment will be completed in April 2025, and the target number of enrolled patients is 2000.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence about the surgical outcomes, oncologic outcomes, and patient satisfaction with RNSM and endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM), compared with conventional NSM.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04585074. Registered April 8, 2020.

Abstract P2-14-12: Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: A single Institutional Experience of 50 Consecutive Cases

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to to introduce an early experience of endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) combined with immediate breast reconstruction through simple single-port access that placed in axillary incision. Methods and Materials: Between November 2018 and June 2022, 48 female patients with breast cancer, total 50 cases of breast cancer (bilateral breast cancer in 2 patients) were treated with endoscopic NSM combined with immediate breast reconstruction through simple single-port access that placed in axillary incision. Forty-six patients, total forty-eight cases, underwent breast reconstruction with silicone implant, two patient underwent TRAM reconstruction. Surgical procedures of endoscopic NSM: Patients were placed in a supine position with both upper limbs on arm boards abducted 90 degree. An incision of 5 cm was made along the anterior axillary line from the inferior mammary fold. The sentinel lymph node was excised through the incision. .A workspace for the insertion of a Glove Port (Nelis, Republic of Korea) was created within a radius of 3 cm from the incision, and the subcutaneous tissue flaps were raised. The Glove Port was inserted first into the retromammary space, carbon dioxide (CO2) gas was insufflated, and the pressure was maintained at approximately 7 mmHg. The retromammary space dissection was performed with caution to avoid dissecting the interpectoral space, using an energy device and an endoscopic grasper guided by a flexible endoscope (ENDOEYE FLEX 10 mm, OLYMPUS, Japan). The breast was elevated to the edge of the latissimus dorsi muscle laterally, to the thoracoabdominal aponeurosis inferiorly, to the level of the clavicle superiorly, and to the edge of the sternum medially. After dissecting the retromammary fat plane, the Glove Port was relocated into the subcutaneous space. Skin flap was dissected using an energy device, and the duct beneath the nipple was cut off using endoscopic scissors. The subcutaneous flap was dissected completely along the boundaries of the breast, and the entire breast was removed Results: The patients were 30-55 years old (mean, 43 years). The tumor located at the left breast in 26 cases and at the right breast in 23 cases. The diameter of tumor ranged from 1.5 to 5.2 cm (mean, 3.4 cm). Median operation time was 153 minutes. After operation, nipple necrosis or skin flap necrosis was not observed. No subcutaneous emphysema occurred. There is one tumor involvement to nipple in postoperative pathological examination. So, excision of nipple-areolar-complex was performed 2 weeks after first operation. All patients were followed up 1-43 months (median, 19 months). According to the Harris assessment criteria for appearance of reconstructed breast, there were 43 cases of excellent and 7 cases of good. No tumor recurrence or metastasis occurred during follow-up. Conclusion: It is a safe and feasible method of endoscopic NSM combined with immediate breast reconstruction through simple single-port access that placed in axillary incision, and can obtain good cosmetic results. It is a new option to breast reconstruction. Citation Format: HYEYOON LEE, Kyusang Cho, YOUNGWOO CHANG, GILSOO SON. Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: A single Institutional Experience of 50 Consecutive Cases [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-14-12.

Single-port nipple-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction for breast cancer

IntroductionThis study compares the perioperative results, aesthetic outcome and oncologic safety of single-port insufflation endoscopic nipple-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy combined with immediate reconstruction using prosthesis implantation (SIE-NSM-IRPI) with those of conventional open-nipple and areola-sparing subcutaneous mastectomy combined with immediate reconstruction using prosthesis implantation (C-NSM-IRPI).MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, 64 early-stage breast cancer patients were divided into SIE-NSM-IRPI (n = 38) and C-NSM-IRPI (n = 26) groups. Perioperative results (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, drainage duration, and recent complications) were then compared between the two groups. Differences in satisfaction with the breasts, psychosocial well-being, physical well-being (chest) and sexual well-being were analyzed according to the BREAST-Q scale, and survival outcomes were also compared.ResultsThe median follow-up time was 51.5 months. The incision length of SIE-NSM-IRPI was shorter than that of C-NSM-IRPI (P < 0.001). SIE-NSM-IRPI achieved the same detection rate and median number of sentinel lymph nodes as C-NSM-IRPI (3.00vs. 4.00, P = 0.780). The incidence of prosthesis removal due to infection or prosthesis exposure in the SIE-NSM-IRPI group was lower than that in the C-NSM-IRPI group (P = 0.015). Satisfaction with breasts (82.00vs.59.00, P < 0.001), psychosocial well-being (93.00vs.77.00, P = 0.001) and physical well-being (chest) (89.00vs.82.00, P < 0.001) scores were higher in the SIE-NSM-IRPI group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 0.829, 95% confidence interval = 0.182–3.779) and overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.919, 95% confidence interval = 0.169–21.842).ConclusionIn this selected cohort of patients with early breast cancer, SIE-NSM-IRPI was comparable to C-NSM-IRPI, considering oncologic safety and detection of sentinel lymph nodes. It had a lower incidence of prosthesis removal, shorter incision length, and was associated with better patient satisfaction with the breasts. More random clinical trials of this novel approach in a larger cohort of Chinese patients with an extended follow-up period are needed in the future.

A Preliminary Experience of Endoscopic Total Mastectomy With Immediate Free Abdominal-Based Perforator Flap Reconstruction Using Minimal Incisions, and Literature Review.

Endoscopic total mastectomy (ETM) is predominantly performed with reconstruction using prostheses, lipofilling, omental flaps, latissimus dorsi flaps, or a combination of these techniques. Common approaches include minimal incisions, e.g., periareolar, inframammary, axillary, or mid-axillary line, which limit the technical ability to perform autologous flap insets and microvascular anastomoses, as such the ETM with free abdominal-based perforator flap reconstruction has not been robustly explored. We studied female patients with breast cancer who underwent ETM and abdominal-based flap reconstruction. Clinical-radiological-pathological characteristics, surgery, complications, recurrence rates, and aesthetic outcomes were reviewed. Twelve patients underwent ETM with abdominal-based flap reconstruction. The mean age was 53.4 years (range 36-65). Of the patients, 33.3% were surgically treated for stage I, 58.4% for stage II, and 8.3% for stage III cancer. Mean tumor size was 35.4 mm (range 1-67). Mean specimen weight was 458.75 g (range 242-800). Of the patients, 92.3% successfully received endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy and 7.7% underwent intraoperative conversion to skin-sparing mastectomy after carcinoma was reported on frozen section of the nipple base. Mean operative time for ETM was 139 minutes (92-198), and the average ischemic time was 37.3 minutes (range 22-50). Fifty percent of patients underwent deep inferior epigastric perforator, 33.4% underwent MS-2 transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM), 8.3% underwent MS-1 TRAM, and 8.3% underwent pedicled TRAM flap reconstruction. No cases required re-exploration, no flap failure occurred, margins were clear, and no skin or nipple-areolar complex ischemia/necrosis developed. In the aesthetic outcome evaluation, 16.7% were excellent, 75% good, 8.3% fair, and none were unsatisfactory. No recurrences were observed. ETM through a minimal-access inferior mammary or mid-axillary line approach, followed by immediate pedicled TRAM or free abdominal-based perforator flap reconstruction, can be a safe means of achieving an "aesthetically scarless" mastectomy and reconstruction through minimal incisions.

Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy for Early Breast Cancer: A Case Series of a Minimally-invasive Technique

This study aimed to share the authors’ preliminary experience with endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy in the Philippines. All medical records of patients who underwent endoscopic mastectomy done by the same surgeons in two institutions from March to October 2019 were collected and analyzed. Surgical margin, operating time, blood loss volume, and post-operative complications were noted. Three cases were recorded during the study period. The mean operative time was 341 minutes and the mean blood loss volume was &lt; 20 mL. All cases had negative margins of resection on final histopathology. One patient developed ecchymosis on the axilla, while the other patients had unremarkable post-operative courses. Endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy is a potentially safe and feasible alternative in breast cancer management. Further evaluation of the procedure is recommended. Key words: breast cancer, mastectomy, nipple-sparing, endoscopy

Oncological outcome of single-port insufflation endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy versus open mastectomy in early breast cancer patients: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionBreast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Conventional open mastectomy (C-OM) is one of the most common procedures for breast cancer,...

Visual analysis of minimally invasive surgery for breast cancer: a bibliometric analysis

Breast minimally invasive techniques are increasingly applied to breast cancer surgery, with the advantages of a small incision, minor trauma and aesthetics while treating the disease, contributing to improving the life quality of breast cancer patients. The main objective of this study was to explore and discuss the trends and hotspots in minimally invasive techniques for breast cancer surgery (MIBCS) from the last decade with bibliometric analysis, providing reference for exploration of new orientations for future research in that field. Related articles were searched from the Web of Science database, the collected data was analyzed on software to generate visualization knowledge maps. Bibliometric indicators covered publications, h-index, institutions, journals, authors, keywords, and research hotspots. China was ranked the highest for number of articles, followed by USA. The top five authors with the most publications were from Changhua Christian Hospital in Taiwan, who have contributed the most to MIBCS. The main hotspots were minimally invasive reconstruction, nipple-sparing mastectomy, and conserving surgery, with the postoperative results as the key research trend. From this study, Taiwan is the region of most contribution involving the number of publications, authors, journals, and institutions. Minimally invasive development still remains the core of MIBCS. At present, endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction has been well established. Endoscopic robot assisted surgery will be tried to be adopted by more doctors. The evaluation of postoperative results will exist throughout the time.

Clinical practice guidelines for endoscopic breast surgery in patients with early-stage breast cancer: Chinese Society of Breast Surgery (CSBrS) practice guidelines 2021.

Clinical practice guidelines for endoscopic breast surgery in patients with early-stage breast cancer: Chinese Society of Breast Surgery (CSBrS) practice guidelines 2021.

Single-Port Three-Dimensional (3D) Videoscope-Assisted Endoscopic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in the Management of Breast Cancer: Technique, Clinical Outcomes, Medical Cost, Learning Curve, and Patient-Reported Aesthetic Results from 80 Preliminary Procedures

The preliminary results of an innovative surgical technique, which incorporated single-port three-dimensional (3D) videoscope and instruments for endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (E-NSM), were reported. The medical records of patients who underwent single-port 3D E-NSM for breast cancer from August 2018 to September 2020 were analyzed, and the preliminary outcome of this procedure as well as the patient-reported aesthetic results are described in this article. The study enrolled 70 patients who received 80 procedures of single-port 3D E-NSM. The mean operation time was 158 ± 36 min, and the mean blood loss was 41 ± 26 ml. Three procedures (3.8 %) associated with delayed axillary wound-healing, eight cases of transient nipple ischemia (10 %), three cases of partial nipple ischemia/necrosis (3.7 %), and one case of total nipple-areolar complex (NAC) necrosis (1.3 %) were observed. No patient had margin involvement. Satisfaction rates of approximately 90 % were observed in terms of postoperative scar appearance, location, and length. Most of the patients (87.8 %) reported that they would choose the same operation again if given the chance to do so. The overall cost of a single-port 3D E-NSM was 7522 ± 470 U.S. dollars. According to cumulative sum (CUSUM) plot analysis, about 14 cases were needed for surgeons to familiarize themselves with single-port 3D E-NSM and immediate gel implant reconstruction and to decrease their operation time significantly in the initial learning phase. Single-port 3D E-NSM, a safe, efficient, lower-cost procedure, is associated with a good aesthetic result. It is a promising new technique for breast cancer patients indicated for mastectomy, but long-term oncologic safety follow-up evaluation still is needed.