A skin/nipple-sparing mastectomy (SNSM) is a surgical procedure to remove breast tissue while preserving the skin envelope and, in some cases, the nipple-areola complex (NAC). This technique is often used in cases of breast cancer or for prophylactic purposes in high-risk patients (e.g., BRCA mutation carriers).
Here’s how it works:
- • Skin-Sparing Mastectomy (SSM): The breast tissue is removed, but most of the skin over the breast is preserved, except for the nipple and areola. This approach allows for immediate reconstruction with a more natural skin contour.
- • Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy (NSM): In addition to the skin, the nipple and areola are also preserved. The breast tissue beneath the nipple-areola complex is removed, but the external appearance of the breast remains largely intact. This approach is only possible when cancer does not involve the nipple or areola.
Benefits:
- • Better cosmetic results with a natural skin contour and, in NSM, retention of the nipple-areola complex.
- • Immediate breast reconstruction is more aesthetically pleasing.
Risks::
- • There’s a small risk of leaving behind cancerous cells in the preserved skin or nipple.
- • Potential complications include necrosis (death) of the nipple or skin due to compromised blood supply.
It is a balance between oncological safety and cosmetic outcomes, carefully selected for patients with favorable clinical indications.
