Tag Archives: Nipple

Nipple delay

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Wondering what a nipple delay is? I was too! I hadn’t heard of this procedure until Angelina Jolie announced to the world that she underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy and this procedure was part of the process.

Since that announcement, many different articles and opinions have been published. A lot of them positive, but a few negative. That’s another post for another day. A few pieces did provide more information on the nipple delay procedure.

Breast Reconstruction Guidebook Figure 1.1What is nipple delay?

During the nipple delay procedure, the surgeon makes an incision in the skin and severs the breast tissue and blood vessels directly beneath the nipple (it remains attached to the surrounding skin). Due to this, the nipple is no longer dependent upon the blood supply directly beneath it and becomes accustomed to getting its blood supply through the skin. According to the Pink Lotus Breast Center blog, it actually recruits additional blood flow not previously established.

This is an uncommon procedure. If it is elected, it is performed some time before the mastectomy; two weeks for Angelina Jolie.

Why have a nipple delay?

Surgical nipple delay is used to decrease likelihood of nipple necrosis, which can occur because of loss of blood supply and can lead to nipple loss, following a nipple-sparing mastectomy.

Breast skin is fragile after mastectomy. If it’s exceptionally thin after the breast tissue is cut away or is handled too roughly, it may die. The same result may occur if the breast surgeon severs too many blood vessels that feed the skin or uses eletrocautery too aggressively and burns the inside of the skin, which may then blister and die.
– Steligo, Kathy. Breast Reconstruction Guidebook: Issues and Answers from Research to Recovery. Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print, third edition.

I was not informed of this option prior to my own nipple-sparing mastectomy. My compromised blood flow resulted in necrosis on my left breast and I lost a nipple. If you are interested in reading about my bout with necrosis (including photos) and the hyperbaric treatment I underwent in an effort to thwart it, please read Tissue necrosis.

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Source of Figure 1.1: Steligo, Kathy. Breast Reconstruction Guidebook: Issues and Answers from Research to Recovery. Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print, third edition.

Tissue necrosis

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WARNING: NSFW / graphic content below.

What is necrosis?

One of the risks associated with a mastectomy, or any surgery, is tissue necrosis. This occurs when the blood supply is compromised and the cells aren’t receiving enough oxygen; the skin begins to die. As this happens, it turns black and hardens into a scab. Although the dead tissue can be removed (debridement), it cannot be brought back to life. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used to treat surrounding tissue – more on this in another post: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Breast skin is fragile after mastectomy. If it’s exceptionally thin after the breast tissue is cut away or is handled too roughly, it may die. The same result may occur if the breast surgeon severs too many blood vessels that feed the skin or uses eletrocautery too aggressively and burns the inside of the skin, which may then blister and die.
– Steligo, Kathy. Breast Reconstruction Guidebook: Issues and Answers from Research to Recovery. Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print, third edition.

My case

Nipple necrosis was one of my big worries when I was struggling to decide whether my prophylactic bilateral mastectomy was going to be nipple-sparing. I did a lot of research and talked to both of my surgeons about it. Check out my earlier posts on the topic: Nipples, pecs,bras, OH MY! and Let’s give them a chance.

Left nipple day of PBM

Left nipple day of PBM

I had the unfortunate chance to experience necrosis in the area of the left nipple and skin directly underneath it. The day of my surgery, we could already see that there may be a problem. The left nipple looked “dusky.” On day six, the sterile strips covering the bottom of the nip and the incision underneath it were removed and we discovered a bit of a mess there as well. In the next 24 hours, the area turned black. A little panicked, I reached out to my PS for his guidance. I was told to just sit tight, because there really isn’t anything that could be done. I washed the area with anti-bac soap and kept an eye on it.

Over the coming days, the small area of necrosis changed shape a bit, but did not get better. Check out the images below, which show the changes over a two-week period. The day I wrote this post, 18 days after PBM, some of the scabs on the nipple have fallen off, revealing bright pink skin underneath. The larger area of necrosis under the nipple is still covered with a tough, black scab. I have had four hyperbaric oxygen treatments in an effort to minimize the damage. More on that here: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

I am told that my nipple will be fine. Worst case scenario = scarring or discoloration in the area below the nipple as the scabs fall off. We shall see. I will post an update when that occurs.

Necrosis progress

2/22: Scab is slowly lifting up.

Necrosis one month

7/12: Scab is long gone and the pigment has returned.

2013_7_12 Pigment

Let’s give them a chance

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The nipples … I decided to keep them.

I met with Dr. K to talk about a few things I wanted to revisit before we sealed the deal. One of them being: whether or not my mastectomy will be nipple-sparing (see Nipples, pecs, bras, OH MY!). Some of the things we talked about:

  • QuestionsHow much breast tissue (if any) will be left behind? A small disk of breast tissue remains under the nipple to prevent inversion.
  • What are the chances of breast cancer diagnosis? In the case of a prophylactic mastectomy (especially for a BRCA1/2-mutation-negative patient), the risk of developing breast cancer is still very low (<1%; see this summary table from the related article mentioned below). A long-term Georgetown study (related article #2 below) concludes that nipple-sparing mastectomy can be safe in properly selected patients.
  • What type of screening is done long-term? Screening is still required after any type of mastectomy via self and clinical exams. Mammography/ultrasounds/MRIs are generally not needed. However, screening MRIs are required when breast implants are used for reconstruction.
  • What are the chances of necrosis? From the nipple-sparing mastectomies my breast surgeon has performed, no nipples have been lost. He will make the incision laterally from the edge of the areola, versus circumareolar (tracing around it and then out). This will make the procedure technically a bit more difficult, due to a smaller access hole to the cavity, but will reduce the risk of necrosis. The article mentioned below also provides some data related to necrosis of the nipple-areola complex. 2/9: The incision that was actually made was a curved/smiley-face line about two inches below my nipple.
  • Will I have any feeling left? This is unlikely. Nipple(s) can become erect after this type of procedure, but the experience will not be the same as pre-mastectomy, both in cause and sensation.
  • Nipple Game Pad T-ShirtSo will I have permanent headlights? This is a possibility. A few of the ladies I’ve spoken to have expressed that this is true for them after a nipple-sparing procedure. As you can imagine, having constantly-erect nipples can make things awkward, so definitely something I hope I don’t have to deal with. However, in discussing with my PS, I learned that as with other possible unsatisfactory results, it can be addressed in a few different ways. Worst case scenario: another procedure to remove the nipples and areolae.

I’m confident that Dr. K is technically capable of performing this type of procedure and will do a great job. I am aware of the potential complications (not all listed here) – we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.

Whew, that was the last thing to mull over, last detail to plan, last thing on my list that’s up to me (well, this list). Now the breast surgeon’s office confirms the insurance pre-authorization and I sign the consent forms. One pre-op appointment left with my plastic surgeon.

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