Table 3 Factors related to nipple and skin sensation post nipple-sparing mastectomy

Age, y

All

48.4 ± 9.1

47.5 ± 9

50.4 ± 9

< 0.01

48.4 ± 9.1

47.9 ± 9

49.2 ± 9.1

0.17

 < 40

75 (16.3)

58 (17.7)

17 (12.8)

0.33

75 (16.3)

49 (16.3)

26 (16.3)

0.53

 ≧ 40, < 60

329 (71.5)

232 (70.9)

97 (72.9)

329 (71.5)

219 (72.8)

110 (69.2)

 ≧ 60

56 (12.2)

37 (11.3)

19 (14.3)

56 (12.2)

33 (10.9)

23 (14.5)

Location

0.03

0.13

 Right

239 (51.9)

180 (55.1)

59 (44.4)

239 (51.9)

164 (54.5)

75 (47.2)

 Left

221 (48.1)

147 (44.9)

74 (55.6)

221 (48.1)

137 (45.5)

84 (52.8)

BMI

ALL

23.3 ± 3.7

23.4 ± 3.8

22.9 ± 3.3

0.24

23.3 ± 3.7

23.3 ± 3.7

23.2 ± 3.7

0.73

 < 18

19 (4.1)

18 (5.5)

1 (0.8)

0.04

19 (4.1)

17 (5.6)

2 (1.3)

0.07

 18–24

271 (59)

186 (56.9)

85 (63.9)

271 (59)

172 (58)

99 (62.4)

 ≧ 24

170 (36.9)

123 (37.6)

47 (35.3)

170 (36.9)

112 (36.4)

58 (36.3)

Surgical methods

0.01

< 0.01

 C-NSM

174 (37.8)

111 (33.9)

63 (47.4)

174 (37.8)

87 (28.9)

87 (54.7)

 E-NSM

195 (42.4)

143 (43.8)

52 (39.1)

195 (42.4)

137 (45.5)

58 (36.5)

 R-NSM

91 (19.8)

73 (22.3)

18 (13.5)

91 (19.8)

77 (25.6)

14(8.8)

Specimen size, g

ALL

327.1 ± 184.5

333.6 ± 185.8

311.3 ± 180.9

0.26

327.1 ± 184.5

327.4 ± 187.1

326.4 ± 179.9

0.95

 < 180

66 (16)

42 (14.4)

24 (20)

0.47

66 (16.01)

41 (15.1)

25 (17.8)

0.76

 180–320

173 (42)

122 (41.8)

51 (42.5)

173 (41.99)

119 (43.7)

54 (38.6)

 320–450

93 (22.6)

69 (23.6)

24 (20)

93 (22.57)

60 (22.1)

33 (23.6)

 > 450

80 (19.4)

59 (20.2)

21 (17.5)

80 (19.41)

52 (19.1)

28 (20.0)

Axillary staging method

0.04

0.09

 SLNB + ALND

85 (20.6)

71 (24.1)

14 (11.8)

85 (20.6)

59 (21.9)

26 (18.1)

 SLNB

298 (71.9)

204 (69.1)

94 (78.9)

298 (71.9)

197 (72.9)

101 (70.1)

 ALND

31 (7.5)

20 (6.8)

11 (9.2)

31 (7.5)

14 (5.2)

17 (11.8)

Tumor size, cm

2.5 ± 2.2

2.6 ± 2.1

2.5 ± 2.5

0.78

2.5 ± 2.2

2.5 ± 2.1

2.7 ± 2.5

032

Operation time

224.2 ± 124.3

227.8 ± 125.9

215.4 ± 120.2

0.33

224.2 ± 124.3

223.5 ± 123.0

225.6 ± 127.1

0.86

Reconstruction

0.06

0.09

 Yes

383 (83. 3)

279 (85.3)

104 (78.2)

383 (83.3)

257 (85.4)

126 (79. 3)

 No

77 (16.7)

48 (14.7)

29 (21.8)

77 (16.7)

44 (14.6)

33 (20.7)

Reconstruction method

0.53

0.76

 Implant

350 (91.9)

253 (91.3)

97 (93.3)

350 (91.9)

235 (92.2)

115 (91.3)

 Flap

31 (8.1)

24 (8.7)

7 (6.7)

31 (8.1)

20 (7.8)

11 (8.7)

Surgical wound location

0.01

< 0.01

 Inframammary fold

18 (3.9)

12 (3.7)

6 (4.5)

18 (3.9)

8 (2.7)

10 (6.3)

 Peri-areolar

156 (33.9)

96 (29.3)

60 (45.1)

156 (33.9)

78 (25.9)

78 (49.1)

 Single axillary or lateral chest

215 (47.8)

165 (50. 5)

50 (37.6)

215 (47.8)

172 (57.1)

43 (27.0)

 Upper outer (radial + other)

71 (15.4)

54 (16.5)

17 (12.8)

71 (15.4)

43 (14.3)

28 (17.6)

Blood loss

65.6 ± 65.5

67.4 ± 69.7

61.2 ± 53.9

0.35

65.6 ± 65.5

64.1 ± 68.5

68.4 ± 59.6

0.51

Complication

0.26

0.59

 Yes

102 (22.2)

77 (23.5)

25 (18.8)

102 (22.2)

69 (22.9)

33 (20.7)

 No

358 (77.8)

250 (76.5)

108 (81.2)

358 (77.8)

232 (77.1)

126 (79.3)

Nipple ischemia event

0.27

 0

399 (86.7)

281 (86.2)

118 (88.0)

 1

29 (6.4)

19 (5.9)

10 (7.5)

 2

32 (6.9)

26 (7.9)

6 (4.5)

Chemotherapy

0.11

0.6

 Yes

174 (40.6)

130 (42.4)

44 (36.1)

174 (40.6)

110 (39.1)

64 (43.2)

 No

255 (59.4)

177 (57.6)

78 (63.9)

255 (59.4)

171 (60.9)

84 (56.8)

Radiotherapy

0.16

0.01

 Yes

116 (27.1)

77 (25.1)

39 (31.9)

116 (27.1)

68 (24.2)

48 (32.4)

 No

313 (72.9)

230 (74.9)

83 (68.1)

313 (72.9)

213 (75.8)

100 (67.6)

Follow-up time (time since surgery) months

42.3 ± 32.5

38.4 ± 31.8

52.1 ± 32.4

 < 0.01

42.3 ± 32.5

39.2 ± 32.1

48.5 ± 32.6

< 0.01