Aesthetic scar-less mastectomy and breast reconstruction

Surgical approaches in breast cancer have been changing to ensure both oncologic safety and cosmetic results. Although the concept of “oncoplastic breast surgery” has been accepted for decades, breast and plastic surgeons have been striving to develop more advanced surgical skills that ensure non-inferior oncologic outcomes with better cosmetic outcomes. Endoscopic or robotic devices, which are currently available only for chest or abdominal surgeries, could be used for breast surgery to ensure better cosmetic outcomes. The authors refer to this surgical concept as “aesthetic scar-less breast surgery and reconstruction,” a term that encompasses the consequential concepts rather than naming it with simple technical words such as endoscopy-assisted or robot-assisted surgery. The “scar-less” term simply means leaving less of a scar, and better results can be expected by designing incisions on invisible areas. Herein, we summarize our experiences with various techniques of “aesthetic scar-less” surgery and review the existing literature on this topic.