Pictures after breast removal

The breast is composed of glandular ducts, fat and fibrous tissue. The mammary gland is derived from the integument and is located in the reticular muscle fascia tissue. Papillae are partial growths of the spinous layer of the integument. The physiological activities of the breast are controlled by a variety of hormones such as pituitary hormone, adrenal hormone and estrogen, and cause changes in relative tissue structure. The chest of an adult woman is located in a capsule formed by the superficial fascia, 4 to 5 intercostal spaces on either side, with the upper limit generally at the level of the second rib. The outside of both sides reaches the mid-axillary line. The outer upper end of the glandular duct protrudes toward the armpit and becomes the caudal lobe of the mammary gland.

The center of the breast is the nipple, and the surrounding area is the annular nipple. The breast is wrapped by the superficial pectoral fascia, which extends toward the superficial layer of the breast and separates the mammary gland into about 20 radially arranged mammary lobules, with honeycomb-like human fat tissue between the lobules. Each mammary lobule has a corresponding milk duct that opens into the nipple. The dilation of the milk duct near the nipple is called the lactiferous sinus. Around each lactiferous duct there is a bundle of fibers (Cooper's tendon) that connects to the skin and its pectoralis major muscle fascia.

The breast is rich in lymphatic vessels, and the key return routes are the axillary lymph nodes and internal mammary lymph nodes.

Axillary lymph nodes can be divided into five groups: external, anterior, posterior, internal and central. The lateral groups are around the axillary artery and vein; the anterior group is located on the superficial surface of the serratus anterior muscle, the outer edge of the pectoralis minor muscle and the thoracic aorta on both sides of the chest, and breast cancer metastasis first invades this group of lymph nodes; the posterior group is located on the posterior and outer wall of the axilla, distributed along the subscapular blood vessels; the central group is in the center of the axillary base, in the loose adipose connective tissue deep to the axillary muscle fascia, where various groups of lymph nodes gather; the medial group is located deep above the pectoralis minor muscle, and its output ducts are combined into the cervical trunk, which communicates with the cervical lymph nodes on both sides. The cervical lymph trunk is connected to the thoracic duct on the left and the right lymph node tube on the right.

The parascapular lymph nodes are arranged along the intradiaphragmatic blood vessels. The superficial and deep lymphatic vessels from the inner side of the breast and the chest wall converge into this group of lymph nodes, and then converge into the mediastinum or upper cervical lymph nodes through the intercostal lymphatic vessels.

The lymphatic vessels on the inner side of the breast cross the anterior inner wall of the abdomen and merge into the hepatic lymphatic vessels in the space below the diaphragm. Lymphatic vessels deep in the breast pass through the muscles and enter the lymph nodes below the neck. The superficial lymphatic vessels of the breast are extensively connected with the lymphatic vessels of the skin. The cancer can then spread to the other breast and armpit.

The blood supply to the breast mainly comes from the aorta on both sides of the chest, the intercostal perforators of the aorta within the diaphragm, and the bilateral branches of the intercostal aorta.

The superficial veins of the breast are the subcutaneous veins, and the deep veins run along the aorta of the same name, converge into the internal diaphragmatic vein, axillary vein, azygos vein or hemiazygos vein, and finally flow into the pulmonary vascular network.

The main nerves controlling the breast are the cutaneous branches and anterior branches of the 2nd to 6th intercostal nerves, the superior cervical nerves and the thoracic nerves.