To investigate the application value of preserving the anterior thoracic nerve(ATN) and intercostobranchial nerve(ICBN) in modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer.

Of the 63 patients underwent modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer. ATN and ICBN in surgery were preserved in 33 cases(preservation group) and resected in the other 30 cases(resection group). The operative time, operative blood loss, number of dissected lymph nodes, volume of drainage, rates of skin paresthesia and atrophy of the major pectoral muscle were analyzed.

Differences were not statistically significant in the operation hemorrhage[(122.3±30.1)ml vs (125.6±29.4)ml, P>0.05], number of dissected lymph nodes[(17.4±2.9)lymph node vs (18.2±2.6)lymph node, P>0.05], operation drainage volume [(235.9±50.7)ml vs (243.3±58.1)ml, P>0.05] between the preservation group and the resection group. The operative time in the preservation group was significantly longer than that in the resection group[(127.3±10.8)min vs (120.9±10.3)min, P<0.05]. There were significant differences in the incidence rate of skin paresthesia [17.8%(5/33) vs 53.3%(16/30), P<0.01] and atrophy of the major pectoral muscle [12.1%(4/33) vs 43.3%(13/30), P<0.01] between the preservation group and resection group. No local or distant metastasis and death were observed in the two groups during the follow-up period.

Preserving the ATN and ICBN in modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer is a feasible and safe technique, it can decrease the incidence of the skin paresthesia and atrophy of the major pectoral muscle significantly.

Anterior thoracic nerve; Intercostobranchial nerve; Modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer