Breast Cancer Surgery during First COVID-19 Outbreak: The Role of Therapeutic Mammoplasty

Eleftherios Sfakianakis*, Peng Tan and Foivos Irakleidi

Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Unit, Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust, UK

^*Correspondance to: Eleftherios Sfakianakis 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.3064

Abstract

Introduction: During the first COVID-19 Outbreak treatment pathways for breast cancer patients were modified to minimize patients? exposure to hospital environment. In terms of surgical treatment, any oncoplastic approach should facilitate apart from oncological efficiency and best cosmesis, minimum exposure to the hospital environment. Aim: Aim of this study is apart from comparing breast surgery cases in two consecutive years, to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic mammoplasty in breast cancer patients during the first COVID-19 Outbreak era. Materials and Methods: We compared breast surgery cases performed by a Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon in a high volume Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Unit in London, during the COVID-19 Outbreak (March-June 2019) to the cases done in the same period of time in 2019. Parameters like duration of hospital stay, oncological efficacy and cosmesis were evaluated and we investigated whether therapeutic mammoplasty can be safely performed during COVID-19 Outbreak. Results: In total 25 patients had breast surgery during the first COVID-19 Outbreak for breast cancer and 13 patients underwent therapeutic mammoplasty. 23 patients had day surgery and no drain was used. Complications were 1 hematoma after mammoplasty and one seroma after mastectomy. Cosmetic outcome was excellent in the majority of the mammoplasty patients using Harvard Scale. A 1 patient had involved margins and underwent re-excision. Conclusion: As our data demonstrate therapeutic mammoplasty is an oncologically efficient oncoplastic approach with excellent cosmetic results and can be safely be performed even in challenging times like COVID-19 Outbreak, when patients? exposure to hospital environment should be minimized.

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Cite the article

Sfakianakis E, Tan P, Irakleidis F. Breast Cancer Surgery during First COVID-19 Outbreak: The Role of Therapeutic Mammoplasty. Clin Surg. 2021; 6: 3064.