Ductectomy to Remove the Responsible Duct in the Nipple from Patients with Nipple Discharge

Abstract

Introduction : When conducting surgical resection for patients with nipple discharge, residual lesions may be left in the responsible duct in the nipple. We have devised a technique using a biopsy trepan that easily enables the complete removal of the responsible duct in the nipple. Patients : This procedure was conducted using a biopsy trepan to remove the responsible duct in the nipple from 24 patients with nipple discharge. Results : The procedure was conducted during duct-lobular segmentectomy in 14 patients, during partial mastectomy in 8, and during nipple-sparing total mastectomy in 2. Postoperative histopathology showed intraductal papilloma in 11 cases, ductal carcinoma in situ in 10, and invasive ductal carcinoma in 3. A lesion was present in a duct within the nipple in 4 patients. Discussion : In patients with nipple discharge, sparing the nipple may leave a residual lesion. Although the lesion could be completely removed by nipple resection, this may be over-treatment. Our procedure, which is simple and reliably removes the responsible duct in the nipple without leaving any residual lesion, is reported.