accessory axillary breast tissue

[freckleston]

I have been advised that excision of accessory axillary breast tissue is too tricky to perform (I am in the UK and using the National Health Service).  I have been told there is high risk of post-op complications if nerves get damaged these include seroma and at worst lymphodema. There is a patient thread on this website about this subject and we are all having the same problem and have all searched the web for advice.  Do you have any experience with this type of surgery and do you feel it to be high risk? Is there a particular method of surgery which is better over another? many thanks

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

I have performed conservative resection of axillary breast tissue with no complications of lymphedema or nerve injury.  Liposuction can also be used, but the results can be limited due to the limitations of liposuction about dense breast tissue.  Axillary lymph node dissection is performed all the time (a more aggressive surgery than removal of axillary breast tissue) for breast cancer patients with rare instances of lymphedema and nerve injury.

[freckleston]

Thanks for your quick reply. From my ultrasounds it appears that the entire area are dense tissue so I think liposuction would be out of the equation, leaving the surgery option, it is comforting to know that not everyone believes the surgery is so troublesome. thanks

[freckleston]

I should have explained that the site is both armpits (axilla) and that the condition has been confirmed that there are no other health problems, they treat this as a purely cosmetic issue.