Inverted Nipple With Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy

Background: The inverted nipple is a relatively common aesthetic problem seen by plastic surgeons. The etiologies of an inverted nipple include insufficiency of supporting tissues, hypoplasia of the lactiferous ducts, and retraction caused by fibrous bands at the base of the nipple. Many different surgical techniques have been described, either individually or in combination, but none represents a landmark strategy. In our present study, we report our experience of spontaneous improvement immediately after nipple-sparing mastectomy with simple buried interrupted sutures to maintain nipple base in inverted nipple patients. Methods: We describe our 10 years' experience in using a simple approach to correct inverted nipples after nipple-sparing mastectomy with pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Between January 2001 and August 2010, we observed 23 inverted nipples after nipple-sparing mastectomy by using only a buried baseline suture to tighten the base of the nipple. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 13 years. Results: After nipple-sparing mastectomy with tightening of the base of the nipple, improvements were seen in 18 of the 23 patients. No complications associated with surgery occurred, such as infection, depigmentation, sensory disturbance, or nipple necrosis. Conclusions: The simple method of baseline suturing that only tightens the nipple basewith nipple-sparing mastectomy has been used in our center over a 10-year period in patients with breast cancer and an inverted nipple. The retractile duct or fibrous cord was completely cut with nipple-sparing mastectomy, and over 70% of inverted nipples in the patients were improved and maintained with only the tightening of the base of the nipple. Our results show that inverted nipple is caused by tight fibrous band or short duct rather than a lack of subareolar tissue.