Surgeons Perform MyMichigan Health’s First Breast Neurotization Procedure
Breast Surgeon Christopher Garces, M.D., and plastic and reconstructive surgeon William Pittas, D.O., have successfully completed MyMichigan Health’s first breast neurotization procedure as part of a nipple-sparing mastectomy and breast reconstruction. The surgery offers patients an innovative approach designed to restore sensation that is often lost following breast cancer surgery.
The milestone represents a significant advancement in breast reconstruction, focusing not only on appearance after mastectomy but also on improving quality of life and helping patients regain feeling in the breast and nipple area.
Traditionally, women undergoing mastectomy frequently experience numbness in the breast and chest area after surgery because nerves are severed during the removal of breast tissue. While modern reconstructive techniques can successfully recreate the shape of the breast, restoring sensation has historically remained a challenge. Breast neurotization addresses this issue by reconnecting or grafting nerves during reconstruction, creating a pathway that may allow nerve regeneration and the return of sensation over time.
“Breast cancer treatment has evolved beyond simply removing disease and restoring appearance,” said Dr. Garces. “Our goal is to help patients recover as fully as possible. Breast neurotization offers the potential to restore feeling to the reconstructed breast, which can have a meaningful impact on comfort, confidence and overall well-being.”
Nipple-sparing mastectomy preserves the skin envelope and nipple-areolar complex while removing underlying breast tissue. When combined with breast neurotization, the procedure may help maintain a more natural experience for patients by addressing both the cosmetic and sensory effects of surgery.
For many women, loss of breast sensation after mastectomy can affect daily life in unexpected ways and may become a safety concern. Patients may experience diminished awareness of touch, temperature or pressure and may feel disconnected from a part of their body. Restoring sensation can improve physical comfort, body image and emotional recovery during the cancer journey.
“Advances in breast reconstruction continue to focus on what matters most to patients,” said Dr. Pittas. “By incorporating nerve preservation and nerve reconstruction techniques, we are working to provide outcomes that are not only visually natural but functionally meaningful.”
While nipple-sparing mastectomy preserves the appearance of the breast, most women still experience a significant loss of sensation because nerves are disrupted during the removal of breast tissue. Breast neurotization is designed to reconnect these nerves during reconstruction, giving patients the opportunity to regain feeling over time. Patients who undergo neurotization generally have a greater chance of regaining meaningful protective and sensory feeling compared with traditional reconstruction alone.
“This procedure represents an important advancement in breast cancer care by focusing not only on cancer treatment and cosmetic outcomes, but also on restoring function, comfort and quality of life," added Dr. Pittas. “As survival rates continue to improve and patients live longer, healthy lives after treatment, surgeons are placing greater emphasis on procedures that enhance long-term quality of life, physical function and overall patient satisfaction.”
The introduction of breast neurotization reflects MyMichigan Health’s commitment to bringing advanced, evidence-based surgical innovations to the communities it serves. Offering the procedure within the health system provides eligible patients access to leading-edge reconstructive options closer to home, eliminating the need to travel elsewhere for specialized care.
“This is about helping patients feel whole again after breast cancer,” said Dr. Garces. “Restoring sensation may seem like a small detail, but for many women it represents an important part of healing and recovery.”
Drs. Garces and Pittas are the only team offering this reconstructive surgery in the area. Those interested in learning if nipple-sparing mastectomy with breast neurotization is an option are encouraged to contact MyMichigan Breast Surgery at (989) 497-3226.
