[Modified subcutaneous mastectomy. Apropos of 916 cases]

Modified subcutaneous mastectomy was described by one of us in 1968; its approach, the dissection of the gland, plastic reconstruction of shape and volume are completely different from the subcutaneous mastectomy performed by plastic surgeons. 3 different time periods were studied to explain clearly evolution in the technic and indications. During many years retrospective studies made it possible to build a procedure according to the new diagnostic means for infraclinical breast cancer and to the constant improving prosthetic material. Therefore our indications for modified subcutaneous mastectomy are as following: suspicious mastopathies are the best indications with a performing choice of the radiologic images which require histologic control some evolutive or evoluated mastopathies some small infiltrating tumors developing in a highly dystrophic glandular surrounding. The numerous in situ cancers accompanying them argue for this choice. some big phyllod tumors or phyllod's recurrences.