Efficacy and Safety of Vacuum-assisted Excision (VAE) of Fibroadenomas: Experience in a Tertiary Centre

Overview

Journal Radiol Med

Specialty Radiology

Date 2023 Aug 2

PMID 37530965

Authors

Serena Carriero

Catherine Depretto

Andrea Cozzi

Gianmarco Della Pepa

Elisa DAscoli

Giovanni Irmici

Chiara Tamburrano

Daniela Ballerini

Alice Bonanomi

Gianfranco Paride Scaperrotta

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the technical success and efficacy rates of US-guided percutaneous vacuum-assisted excision (VAE) of breast fibroadenomas, also assessing procedural complications and long-term patient satisfaction rates.

Materials And Methods: The institutional database of a tertiary breast cancer referral centre was retrospectively reviewed to retrieve all women with fibroadenomas who underwent US-guided VAE between May 2011 and September 2019. We subsequently included in this study all fibroadenomas with a maximum diameter of 3 cm at US and an available histological confirmation obtained by core-needle biopsy before VAE. Immediately after VAE, technical success (defined as the correct VAE execution) and the occurrence of procedural complications were evaluated. Imaging follow-up (US ± mammography) after 6, 12, 24 and 36 months was performed to evaluate technical efficacy (defined as the absence of fibroadenoma recurrence at 6-month follow-up). Long-term patient satisfaction was evaluated with telephonic interviews in October 2022.

Results: We retrospectively included 108 women (median age 46 years) with 110 fibroadenomas diagnosed at core-needle biopsy with a median lesion size at US of 12 mm. Technical success was obtained in 110/110 VAEs (100%). Minor procedural complications (haematomas) occurred in 7/110 VAEs (6%), whereas 8/110 patients had a fibroadenoma recurrence at 6-month follow-up, resulting in a 93% technical efficacy (102/110 VAEs). All patients available for telephonic follow-up (104/104, 100%) reported high satisfaction with VAE results.

Conclusion: US-guided VAE is a safe and effective procedure for the excision of fibroadenomas, representing a viable alternative to surgery, with a low complication rate and high patient satisfaction.

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