Nipple areolar reconstruction utilizing a full-thickness skin graft and mastopexy

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES,1. Surgical absence of left nipple areola with personal history of breast cancer.,2. Breast asymmetry.,POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES,1. Surgical absence of left nipple areola with personal history of breast cancer.,2. Breast asymmetry.,PROCEDURE,1. Left nipple areolar reconstruction utilizing a full-thickness skin graft from the left groin.,2. Redo right mastopexy.,ANESTHESIA,General endotracheal.,COMPLICATIONS,None.,DESCRIPTION OF PROCEDURE IN DETAIL,The patient was brought to the operating room and placed on the table in the supine position and after suitable induction of general endotracheal anesthesia, the patient was placed in a frog-leg position and prepped and draped in usual fashion for the above-noted procedure. The initial portion of the procedure was harvesting a full-thickness skin graft from the left groin region. This was accomplished by ellipsing out a 42-mm diameter circle of skin just below the thigh, peroneal crease. The defect was then closed with 3-0 Vicryl followed by 3-0 chromic suture in a running locked fashion. The area was dressed with antibiotic ointment and then a Peri-Pad. The patient's legs were brought out frog-leg back to the midline and sterile towels were placed over the opening in the drapes. Surgical team's gloves were changed and then attention was turned to the planning of the left nipple flap.,A maltese cross pattern was employed with a 1-cm diameter nipple and a 42-mm diameter nipple areolar complex. Once the maltese cross had been designed on the breast at the point where the nipple was to be placed, the areas of the portion of flap were de-epithelialized. Then, when this had been completed, the dermis about the maltese cross was incised full thickness to allow mobilization of the flap to form the neonipple. At this point, a Bovie electrocautery was used to control bleeding points and then 4-0 chromic suture was used to suture the arms of the flap together creating the nipple. When this had been completed, the skin graft, which had been harvested from the left groin was brought onto the field where it was prepared by removing all subcutaneous tissue from the posterior aspect of the graft and carefully removing the hair follicles encountered within the graft. At this point, the graft was sutured into position in the defect using 3-0 chromic in an interrupted fashion and then trimming the ellipse to an appropriate circle to fill the areola. At this point, 4-0 chromic was used to run around the perimeter of the full-thickness skin graft and then at this point the nipple was delivered through a cruciate incision in the middle of the skin graft and then inset appropriately with 4-0 chromic. The areolar skin graft was pie crusted. Then, at this point, the area of areola was dressed with silicone gel sheeting. A silo was placed over the neonipple with 3-0 nylon through the apex of the neonipple to support the nipple in an erect position. Mastisol and Steri-Strips were then applied.,At this point, attention was turned to the right breast where a 2-cm wide ellipse transversely oriented and with its inferior most aspect just inferior to the transverse mastopexy incision line was made. The skin was removed from the area and then a layered closure of 3-0 Vicryl followed by 3-0 PDS in a running subcuticular fashion was carried out. When this had been completed, the Mastisol and Steri-Strips were applied to the transverse right breast incision. Fluff dressings were applied to the right breast as well as the area around the silo on the left breast around the reconstructed nipple areola. The patient was then placed in Surgi-Bra and then was taken from the operating room to the recovery room in good condition.