Objective: To explore the technique and problems of endoscope-assistant breast surgery.
Methods: Five patients with breast cancer underwent endoscope-assistant modified radical mastectomy, 30 patients with breast cancer underwent endoscope-assistant modified radical mastectomy with small incision, and 13 patients with breast cancer underwent endoscope-assistant resection of breast cancer with retained breast plus axillary lymph node dissection. Two patients with fibroadenoma and 2 patients with fibrocystic disease breast with atypical hyperplasia were treated with endoscope-assistant subcutaneous total mastectomy and breast reconstruction by one-stage silica gel filling operation. Seven patients with fibrocystic disease with atypical hyperplasia and 16 patients with gynecomastia were treated with endoscope-assistant subcutaneous total mastectomy. One 10-month-old infant with huge chest lymphangioma was treated with endoscope-assistant tumor resection via axilla.
Results: All operations were performed smoothly. The duration of operation was 180 approximately 360 min. The frozen sections of skin and breast tissue at the incision margin resected during operation endoscope-assistant modified radical mastectomy with small incision and endoscope-assistant conservative surgery were all negative There were 2 cases of postoperative incisional bleeding, 1 case of skin margin necrosis of axillary incision, 1 case of skin margin incisional necrosis after endoscope-assistant resection of breast cancer with retained breast plus axillary lymph node dissection, 4 cases of epidermal necrosis of nipple, and one case of full thickness skin necrosis of nipple surface.
Conclusion: Endoscope-assistant breast surgery has changed the routine method in breast operation and manifests the cosmetic effects that cannot be achieved by routine surgery.