Subareolar lymphatic plexus explained

Subareolar lymphatic plexus, also known as Sappey's plexus is the lympatic drainage of the areola of the breast.^[1] It is a dense network of lympatics located in the dermis.^[2] The subareolar plexus of Sappey communicated with the plexus of lymph nodes located in the deep fascia of pectoralis major muscle.^[3]

Clinical significance

Subareoloar lympatic plexus is involved in the axillary spread of breast cancer to the surrounding organs.^[3]

History

In 1874, the French anatomist Marie Philibert Constant Sappey discovered the subareoloar lympatic plexus by injecting mercury into the dermis of the breast of a cadaver. Sappey's description became the theoritical basis for subareolar injection for lympatic mapping of the breast.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Fregnani . Jose . Lymphatic drainage of the breast: From theory to surgical practice . International Journal of Morphology . 28 July 2023.
2. Suami . Hiroo . Pan . Wei-Ren . Mann . G. Bruce . Taylor . G. Ian . The Lymphatic Anatomy of the Breast and its Implications for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: A Human Cadaver Study . Annals of Surgical Oncology . 1 March 2008 . 15 . 3 . 863–871 . 10.1245/s10434-007-9709-9 . 18043970 . en . 1534-4681. 2234450 .
3. Rasool . Zahida . Hassan . Ashfaq Ul . Hassan . Ghulam . Masood . Tanveer . Importance of lymphatic's in dissemination of breast cancer-Anatomical, pathological, surgical and prognostic implications. . International Journal of Anatomy Research . July 2013 . 28 July 2023 . en.