Research: How Incision Placement Affects Nipple Sensation

Chacon-Quiros M, Sforza M, Solis-Chaves P, Herrera-Mora G, Botti G, Munhoz AM, Verdonck K, Nagumo Y, D'Incelli RC, Villalobos-Alpizar J, Clausen-Oreamuno C, Randquist C. The 3-year results of a 100-patient prospective study of the safety and effectiveness of Mia Femtech. Aesthet Surg J. 2026;46(3):250-259. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjaf196

Disclosure

Dr. Epstein is a paid investigator in the Motiva U.S. FDA clinical trial and is compensated by Establishment Labs to train surgeons on the Preservé breast augmentation technique. He discloses this relationship in all public communications involving Motiva or Preservé. Dr. Epstein owns stock in Establishment Labs.

What This Study Found

Comparing two groups of 25 patients each, this study found that moving the fold incision slightly to the side, to avoid disrupting a specific nerve and blood vessel bundle, completely preserved normal nipple sensation. The group with the traditional, centrally placed incision had a measurable, though ultimately stable, drop in sensation that showed up within days and was still present at 6 months.

Key Findings

  • 50 patients total (100 breasts), split evenly between a laterally displaced incision and the conventional central incision
  • Sensation tested with standardized touch-pressure instruments before surgery and at 2, 14, and 30 days, then again at 6 months
  • Laterally placed incision group: normal sensation preserved at every checkpoint
  • Central incision group: measurable sensation loss at every checkpoint through 6 months
  • Both groups were otherwise similar in age, BMI, and implant volume

Why This Matters for Preservé Patients

This adds a second, independent line of sensation-preservation evidence alongside the Mia Femtech 3-year data above, from a different research group looking specifically at incision placement rather than the pocket-creation technique.

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