Correction of inverted nipple using two Rotational Dermal flaps

Oh, Yeon Woong; Lew, Dae Hyun; Park, Chul; Park, Beyoung Yun

Abstract

The patient with unilateral or bilateral inverted nipple has both functional and cosmetic impairments. The structural and histopathologic features of inverted nipple are that inverted nipple has less fibromuscular tissue than normal nipple and has short lactiferous duct and dense fibrous tissue. For these reasons, surgical correction of inverted nipple requires release of the short lactiferous ducts and providing the bulkiness under the nipple. We combined the concept of both adding the bulkiness under the nipple and creating a tight neck at its base without sacrificing the duct system. We rotated the bilateral diamond shaped deepithelized dermal flaps around the nipple areolar complex for providing the nipple bulkiness without division of lactiferous duct and reinforced it with the purse-string suture around the dermal flap for providing the stability. This two rotational dermal flap method was applied 12 inverted nipple in 6 patients and followed up for 2 months to 24 months. We have got the satisfactory results in cosmetic and functional aspect without any complication such as sensory change, relapse, and nipple necrosis.