Oncoplastic Breast Surgery London

What is oncoplastic breast surgery?

Oncoplastic breast surgery is a relatively new surgical subspecialty that combines the techniques of cancer surgery with those of plastic and reconstructive surgery. The goal is to achieve the widest possible cancer-free margin while preserving — or improving — the appearance of the breast.

Traditional breast-conserving surgery was limited in the amount of tissue that could be removed without causing significant deformity. Oncoplastic techniques overcome this limitation, allowing greater oncological (cancer) clearance while using reshaping procedures to maintain a natural-looking result.

Volume displacement techniques

Volume displacement techniques rearrange the remaining breast tissue after tumour removal to fill the defect. The most common is therapeutic mammoplasty, which combines wide local excision with a breast reduction technique. This allows the surgeon to remove more tissue with a wider margin and reshapes the breast at the same time.

Other displacement techniques include the Grisotti flap, batwing mastopexy, and round-block techniques — each suited to different tumour locations.

Volume replacement techniques

Where there is insufficient breast tissue to achieve a good result with displacement alone, volume replacement techniques import tissue from elsewhere — most commonly the latissimus dorsi mini-flap from the back — to fill the defect and maintain breast volume.

Oncoplastic reconstruction after mastectomy

When mastectomy is required, oncoplastic planning ensures the most appropriate reconstruction technique is available from the outset. Skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomies — made possible by oncoplastic training — allow the best reconstruction results.

Mr Sarakbi's oncoplastic practice in London

Mr Sarakbi is one of the few surgeons in London with formal specialist training in oncoplastic breast surgery. He practises at Cadogan Clinic, Chelsea for private patients and at Croydon University Hospital and St George's Hospital within the NHS. His research portfolio of 22+ publications includes work on oncoplastic outcomes.