%0 Journal Article
%T Efficacy and safety of vacuum-assisted excision (VAE) of fibroadenomas: experience in a tertiary centre.
%A Carriero S
%A Depretto C
%A Cozzi A
%A Della Pepa G
%A D'Ascoli E
%A Irmici G
%A Tamburrano C
%A Ballerini D
%A Bonanomi A
%A Scaperrotta GP
%J Radiol Med
%V 128
%N 10
%D 2023 Oct 2
%M 37530965
%F 6.313
%R 10.1007/s11547-023-01684-9
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>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.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>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.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>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.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>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.