3D Bioprinting in Nipple-Areola Complex Reconstruction

Nipple-areola complex (NAC) constitutes an important landmark on a breast, and its loss due to breast cancer treatment can be devastating. In order to achieve cure, an increasing number of women are opting for aggressive mastectomy early, and evidences demonstrate that postmastectomy breast reconstruction significantly improves the patient well-being. Similarly, evidences demonstrate that significant improvement in psychosexual well-being and patient satisfaction can be achieved following a successful NAC reconstruction. Historically various reconstructive options have been reported, such as local flaps, pigmented skin grafts, tattooing, local flaps with autologous, allograft, or alloplastic graft augmentation. However, current reconstructive techniques have inconsistent long-term outcomes regarding maintenance of the neo-nipple projection, color, size, shape, and texture, leading to polarizing patient satisfaction rates. To this effect, novel regenerative medicine technology, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, which combines the conventional tissue engineering with 3D printing platform, has been touted as a potential solution. In comparison to other tissue types, reconstructing a 3D solid organ, such as a NAC, undoubtedly commands a higher degree of complexity. Various tissue-engineered NAC reconstructions using synthetic or decellularized allograft scaffolds have been reported. Recently, TeVido BioDevices company has begun developing an entirely 3D-printed NAC graft, but the results are currently limited to preclinical studies.