Search

Background: The surgical goals of gender reassignment surgery of the breast in female-to male transsexuals (FMT) is the aesthetic shaping of a male thoracic wall with minimal scarring, while preserving the sensitivity of the nipple-areola complex (NAC). For large and ptotic breasts, we perform a mastectomy over an inframammary access with inferior pedicled NAC under color Doppler visualization of the perforators. This paper presents the technique, including complications and assessment of quality of life, as part of a unicentric analysis. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 23 patients (46 mastectomies) performed between September 2014 and September 2020. The complication rate and the number of corrective surgeries were recorded for quality assessment. A semiquantitative score was used to evaluate aesthetic outcome, nipple sensitivity, quality of life, and sexuality. Results: A total of 46 mastectomies were performed in 23 patients. The patient survey showed high patient satisfaction. Loss of nipple sensitivity was observed after one mastectomy (2.17%). In 91.67% of cases, patients reported that their appearance reflected how they feel on the inside. In 75% of cases, patients reported feeling equal to other men. The overall complication rate was 10.87%. Shape correction due to persistent excess of volume was rare (2.17%, equivalent to one mastectomy). Conclusion: Subcutaneous mastectomy with inferior nipple pedicle can be performed with a high degree of safety and satisfaction in FMT. Color Doppler-guided visualization of the perforator vessels is helpful in allowing a thin pedicle preparation, thus reducing the need for secondary surgeries to optimize the shape. Level of Evidence IV: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a disease rather than a state, and metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is its most effective treatment. Body contouring surgery (BCS) is an integral part of the continuum of care following MBS, provided that the body mass index (BMI) has stabilized for an adequate period. This study is an attempt to capture the current status of BCS following MBS in Greece, based on data from one of the country's highest-volume hospitals. We recruited patients from the Bariatric and Plastic-Reconstructive Surgery registries who had undergone both MBS and BCS and invited them to answer a structured questionnaire with components on demographics, safety and effectiveness of previous operations, quality of life (QoL), body image, social activity, sexual activity, and doctor–patient communication. Twenty-four patients participated in the survey (response rate 88.1%). The mean BMI pre-MBS was 43.8 kg/m2 and that pre-BCS was 28.6 kg/m2. Based on the Bariatric sub-cohort, only 2.5% of post-bariatric patients underwent BCS. The mean interval between MBS and BCS was 2.9 years. The distribution of patients by MBS was as follows: sleeve gastrectomy 8 (33.3%), gastric band 7 (29.2%), gastric bypass 5 (20.8%), and gastric plication 2 (8.3%). The distribution of patients by BCS was as follows: abdominoplasty 23 (94.7%), breast contouring 8 (33.3%), thigh contouring 3 (12.5%), and arm contouring 5 (20.8%). Most positive components (70.6%) regarding QoL were appraised by >80% of the participants, indicating overall satisfaction after BCS. Conversely, only 12.5% of negative components were endorsed by >20% of patients. In conclusion, BCS has a low prevalence after MBS, although it is related to an improved quality of life and body image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whole breast irradiation after conserving surgery for breast cancer requires precise definition of the target volume. The standard approach uses computed tomography (CT) images. However, since fatty breast and non-breast tissues have similar electronic densities, difficulties in differentiating between them hamper breast volume delineation. To overcome this limitation the breast contour is defined by palpation and then radio-opaque wire is put around it before the CT scan. To optimize assessment of breast margins in the cranial, caudal, medial, lateral and posterior directions, the present study evaluated palpation and CT and determined whether ultrasound (US) provided any added value. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients were enrolled after they had provided informed consent to participating in this prospective study which was approved by the Regional Public Health Ethics Committee. Palpation and US defined breast margins and each contour was marked and outlined with a fine plastic wire. Breasts were then contoured on axial CT images using the breast window width (WW) and window level (WL) (401 and 750 Hounsfield Units -HU- respectively), at which setting the plastic wires were invisible. Then, the lung window function (WW 1601 HU; WL -300 HU) was inserted to visualize the plastic wires which were used as guidelines to contour the palpable and US breast volumes. As each wire had a different diameter, both volumes were easily defined on CT slices. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, percentage overlap and reproducibility measures (agreement and reliability). Results: Volumes: US gave the largest and palpation the smallest. Agreement was best between palpation and CT. Reliability was almost perfect in all correlations. Extensions: Cranial and posterior were highest with US and smallest with palpation. Agreement was best between palpation and CT in all extensions except the cranial. Since strong to almost perfect agreement emerged for all comparisons, reliability was high. Conclusions: US may be useful in defining the cranial and posterior extensions, mainly when tumours are localized there. This study demonstrates that the now standard radio-opaque wires around the palpable breast may not be needed in breast contouring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare interobserver variations in delineating the whole breast for treatment planning using two contouring methods. Methods and Materials: Autosegmented contours were generated by a deformable image registration-based breast segmentation method (DEF-SEG) by mapping the whole breast clinical target volume (CTVwb) from a template case to a new patient case. Eight breast radiation oncologists modified the autosegmented contours as necessary to achieve a clinically appropriate CTVwb and then recontoured the same case from scratch for comparison. The times to complete each approach, as well as the interobserver variations, were analyzed. The template case was also mapped to 10 breast cancer patients with a body mass index of 19.1–35.9 kg/m2. The three-dimensional surface-to-surface distances and volume overlapping analyses were computed to quantify contour variations. Results: The median time to edit the DEF-SEG–generated CTVwb was 12.9 min (range, 3.4–35.9) compared with 18.6 min (range, 8.9–45.2) to contour the CTVwb from scratch (30% faster, p = 0.028). The mean surface-to-surface distance was noticeably reduced from 1.6 mm among the contours generated from scratch to 1.0 mm using the DEF-SEG method (p = 0.047). The deformed contours in 10 patients achieved 94% volume overlap before correction and required editing of 5% (range, 1–10%) of the contoured volume. Conclusion: Significant interobserver variations suggested a lack of consensus regarding the CTVwb, even among breast cancer specialists. Using the DEF-SEG method produced more consistent results and required less time. The DEF-SEG method can be successfully applied to patients with different body mass indexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]