Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) is a surgical technique used to remove breast glandular tissue through an incision around the areola with skin preservation. The removed tissue can be replaced with an implant or pedicled flap from the back to restore a natural appearance of the breast. From an oncological point of view, SSM is a completely safe surgical technique that does not increase the risk of local recurrence in early stage cancers, multicentric tumors and ductal carcinoma in situ. Pre- and postsurgical irradiation will not be a contraindication for the procedure. In a prophylactic mastectomy setting, SSM is an ideal surgical choice. In selected cases when the mammillary base is not tumor-positive, the procedure can be performed and the nipple-areola complex preserved.
A SSM contraindication is an inflammatory breast tumor involving the skin of the breast. In patients with early breast cancer, SSM is a safe surgical treatment allowing plastic surgeons to achieve quality reconstruction with an excellent cosmetic outcome. At the Eljuga Polyclinic, we have been doing SSM for several years already, and achieved a positive outcome and experience for our patients who have overcome their psychological trauma over the removal of the entire breast.
