The suture scaffold technique for improved cosmesis in partial mastectomy defects

Satisfaction of Patients Who Received Breast-Conserving Surgery Using the Suture Scaffold Technique: A Single-Institution, Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Optimal cosmetic results after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) improve patient satisfaction. The suture scaffold technique (SST) is a breast reconstruction technique that all breast surgeons can perform without any extensive training in plastic surgery.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate patient satisfaction after BCS and compare blood loss and operative duration between the SST, breast glandular flap technique (BGFT), and no oncoplastic technique (NOT).

METHODS

This was a prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study. All patients who underwent BCS from August 2017 to September 2019 in our institution were included, with the exception of those with cT3 tumors or those who underwent nipple excision or bilateral breast surgery. The BREAST-Q™ was used to survey the patients, and the raw sum scale scores of the BREAST-Q™ were converted into BREAST-Q scores.

RESULTS

Overall, we identified 421 eligible patients. The NOT was used in 47 (11.1%) patients, the BGFT was used in 231 (54.8%) patients, and the SST was used in 143 (33.9%) patients. In the univariable model, the BGFT and the SST had higher BREAST-Q scores than the NOT, while in the multivariable model, the SST had significantly higher BREAST-Q scores than the NOT (ß = +7.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-13.7; p = 0.01). Blood loss was significantly less with the SST compared with the BGFT (ß = -4.4, 95% CI -7.3 to -1.4), and there was no difference in operative duration between the methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient satisfaction with the SST was higher than with the NOT and was similar to the BGFT. The SST is an oncoplastic technique that all breast surgeons can perform and which requires comparable blood loss and operative duration in the NOT.