Ko Un (Clara) Park, MD, is leading a new, robotic-assisted, nipple-sparing mastectomy clinical trial that is funded by Pelotonia. In this episode, Park describes the advances in the surgical techniques of mastectomies and reconstructive surgery over the years, including the introduction of a traditional nipple-sparing technique that led to … This new, robotic-assisted surgery, that is less invasive and more precise. Small instruments and cameras are inserted through an incision to the side of the breast (rather than underneath as it is in the traditional, nipple-sparing surgery) and “I can see what the camera projects and my hands directly control the robotic arms,” Park said. She is able to remove the entire breast tissue in one piece, sparring the skin, nipple and areola. Because the incision is so small, there were some questions about whether it would be possible to remove the entire breast as a single piece, “but we have found we are able to remove the entire breast tissue through the incision, and then mark and orient it for the pathologist to analyze all the different sections” to determine if there are safe margins. Park said the clinical trial, while still in the early stages, has been very promising, and she’s optimistic the results “will introduce a new technique into women’s health and breast-cancer surgery and reach the stage where we are teaching other surgeons how to do this operation.”