Oncoplastic breast surgery to prevent “Bird’s beak” deformity in the breast: a comparative retrospective study

• Published in: Surgery today (Tokyo, Japan) Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 14 - 22
• Main Authors: Noguchi, Masakuni, Morioka, Emi, Yokoi-Noguchi, Miki, Haba, Yusuke, Inokuchi, Masafumi, Hisano, Machiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 2024
• Subjects: Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Female; Humans; Mammaplasty - methods; Mastectomy, Segmental - methods; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nipples - surgery; Original Article; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Oncoplastic breast surgery; Volume displacement; Breast deformity; Breast-conserving surgery
• ISSN: 0941-1291; 1436-2813
• DOI: 10.1007/s00595-023-02690-0

Purposes Breast deformity occurring in the lower pole after breast conserving surgery (BCS) is known as bird’s beak (BB) deformity. This retrospective study evaluated the outcomes in breasts reconstructed with a conventional closing procedure (CCP) and a downward-moving procedure (DMP), respectively, after BCS. Methods In CCP, the inferomedial and inferolateral portions of breast tissues were reapproximated toward the midline after wide excision to repair the breast defect. In DMP, the retro-areolar breast tissue was detached from the nipple–areolar complex after wide excision, and the upper pole breast tissue was moved downward to refill the breast defect. Results CCP was performed in 20 patients (Group A), and DMP was performed in 28 patients (Group B). Although retraction of the lower part of the breast was postoperatively observed in 13 (72%) of 18 patients from Group A, it was observed in 7 (28%) of 25 patients in Group B ( p  < 0.05). The downward pointing of the nipple was observed in 8 (44%) of 18 patients from Group A and in 4 (16%) of 25 patients in Group B ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions DMP is more useful for preventing BB deformity than CCP.