Efficacy of lipomodelling for the management of sequelae of breast cancer conservative treatment

We report a study of 42 breast cancer patients undergoing lipomodelling, or fat transfer, for sequelae of conservative treatment. Detailed clinical and radiological data of the patients have been collected. These data demonstrate the feasibility of lipomodelling: the technique is simple but requires a learning curve to avoid cytosteatonecrotic lesions; the excellent results obtained in terms of shape and softness of the breast; no surgical implant or flap reconstruction is necessary; the reliability of the procedure: there is normal fat wasting within the first months after treatment, then results stabilize as the patient maintains a healthy weight; the small number of side-effects: only rare, predominantly infectious, rapidly resolving complications are induced. In conclusion, the fat transfer approach presented here represents a considerable advance for the management of moderate sequelae of conservative breast treatment. Using this technique makes it possible to restore the shape and softness of the breast better than any other surgical procedure before, particularly for patients with mild breast deformity. (c) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS.