The influence of subfascial transaxillary breast augmentation in axillary lymphatic drainage patterns and sentinel lymph node detection.

Background: The transaxillary approach plays a useful role for breast augmentation due to scar placement in a less visible position. However, the future impact of the procedure on the lymphatic drainage patterns and sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection remains controversial. To date, no information is available regarding the feasibility of SLN identification in patients with previous transaxillary breast augmentation (TBA).

Methods: Twenty-six patients underwent primary TBA. Mean follow-up was 8.3 months. All patients were submitted to lymphoscintigraphy (LSG), with a dose of 0.1 mCi 99m-technetium-labeled dextran 1 week before (preop-LSG) and 10 days (Po10 days-LSG) after TBA.

Results: Preop-LSG was successful in all patients. Mean number of SLN detected was 2 per patient (range, 1 to 4) in the right axilla and 2.2 (range, 1 to 5) in the left. In Po10 days-LSG, SLN detection was successful in 92.3%. Mean number of SLN detected was 2.3 per patient (range, 0 to 7) in the right axilla and 1.8 (range, 0 to 6) on the left. Two patients (7.6%) failed to reveal the accumulation of radioactivity in Po10 days-LSG. Comparing bilaterally, in the number of SLN detected (P = 0.838) and the SLN uptake (P = 0.067) between Preop-LSG and Po10 days-LSG, no significant differences were observed. No major complication was noted.

Conclusion: The initial data illustrate that SLN detection in the setting of prior TBA is feasible in a great part of patients. Additional long-term studies are necessary to investigate the accuracy of SLN biopsy in subgroups of breast cancer patients with previous breast implants.