Skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction

Skin-sparing mastectomy is a new surgical approach that allows a mastectomy while preserving the natural envelope of the breast. Skin-sparing mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction can be used for prophylaxis for high- risk patients or BRCA carriers. It represents an effective treatment option for patients with extensive DCIS or early invasive breast cancer, but is contraindicated for inflammatory breast cancer and extensive skin involvement by the tumor. Skin-sparing mastectomy had similar surgical outcomes compared to non- skin- sparing mastectomy, but skin flap ischemia and necrosis is more common and is associated with a range of risk factors, including smoking. Skin-sparing mastectomy seems to be an oncologically safe technique and does not increase in particular the risk of local, regional or systemic recurrences. It facilitates immediate breast reconstruction using implants or myocutaneous flaps, resulting in excellent cosmesis and high level of patient satisfaction. This article reviews the published data on skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction and aim to establish its current role in clinical practice, as there is a lack of prospective data.