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Surgical Correction of Inverted Nipples
Maria Lucia Mangialardi1, Ilaria Baldelli2, Marzia Salgarello1
1Dipartimento Scienze della Salute della Donna e del Bambino, Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore e Unità di Chirurgia Plastica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Surgical treatment for inverted nipples offers high satisfaction rates, with 88.6% of cases achieving correction. This review highlights the need for standardized outcome measures in inverted nipple surgery.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Surgical Techniques
- Medical Literature Review
Background:
- Nipple inversion affects 2%-10% of women, causing psychological distress, breastfeeding difficulties, and cosmetic concerns.
- Both congenital and acquired forms of nipple inversion present significant challenges for affected individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review the existing literature on the surgical treatment of inverted nipples.
- To analyze outcomes and recurrence rates for various surgical approaches.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases.
- MeSH terms included "inverted nipple," "inverted nipple surgery," "inverted nipple treatment," and "inverted nipple management."
- Studies detailing surgical treatments, outcomes, and recurrence rates were included.
Main Results:
- Thirty-three articles encompassing 3369 cases of inverted nipple were analyzed.
- Techniques preserving lactiferous ducts (25 studies) showed comparable success to those damaging them (8 studies).
- Overall satisfactory correction was achieved in 88.6% of cases with a recurrence rate of 3.89% over an average follow-up of 23.9 months.
Conclusions:
- This review, with the largest sample size to date, indicates high success rates for surgical inverted nipple correction.
- The heterogeneity in outcome reporting complicates definitive recommendations for the optimal surgical strategy.
- A standardized methodology for evaluating aesthetic, functional, and psychological outcomes is crucial for future research in inverted nipple surgery.
