Breast Augmentation
Elaine Sassoon
Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon
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Breast Augmentation Elaine Sassoon
Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon
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This section has Word format documents on treatments and pdf leaflets Treatment Information Sheets
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Breast
Augmentation Breast augmentation - technically known as augmentation mammaplasty - is a surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of a woman's breast. You may choose to undergo it for a number of reasons: · To enhance your body contour and enlarge your breast size · To correct a reduction in breast volume after pregnancy or weight loss · To balance a difference in your breast size · As a reconstructive technique following cancer breast surgery
The shape and size of your breasts prior to surgery will influence both the recommended treatment and the final results. If the breasts are not the same size or shape before surgery it is unlikely that they will be completely symmetrical afterwards. Before committing yourself to surgery you must think carefully about your expectations. Breast augmentation may enhance your appearance and improve your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily achieve the ideal you expect, or improve a relationship. The best candidates for breast augmentation are women who are looking for improvement, not perfection, in the way they look.
WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION? Breast enlargement surgery is performed under a general anaesthetic, takes one to two hours, and usually involves an overnight stay in hospital. It is accomplished by inserting a breast implant either behind the breast tissue or under the chest muscles. In Norwich it is now also possible to move local skin and fat from the back or from the abdomen or buttock as a “perforator flap” to increase the size of the breast. I usually do this in the context of breast reconstruction for cancer however, as this is a fairly complex operation. Incisions are made to keep scars as inconspicuous as possible, usually under the breast, occasionally around the lower part of the areola or in the armpit. The method of inserting and positioning breast implants will depend on your preferences, your anatomy and my recommendation. Patients undergoing augmentation mammaplasty surgery must consider the possibility of future reversionary surgery. Good breast implants last ten to fifteen years and sometimes longer. All implants have a silicone coating – some are silicone gel filled and others saline filled. The silicone gel filled implants give a more natural appearance. Implants come in different varieties of shaped and round versions. Before the operation, depending on your age and fitness, you may have to undergo some simple health checks such as blood tests and a mammogram. If you decide on surgery you will be required to sign a consent form giving permission for the operation. This requires that you are aware of the risks and complications involved with the procedure.
OPERATION AND RECOVERY The operation is performed under general anaesthetic. You will usually have a drain, which stays in the breast one or two days. The average stay in hospital is one or two nights after surgery. You will have some swelling and discomfort after the operation for which you will be given painkillers. You will have a scar under the breasts, but this normally is hidden in the crease line. You should abstain from upper body physical activity for six weeks. You can resume driving by agreement with your insurance company – usually two to three weeks after surgery.
RISKS OF AUGMENTATION MAMMAPLASTY SURGERY Every surgical procedure involves a certain amount or risk and it is important that you understand the risks involved with augmentation mammaplasty. Additional information concerning breast implants may be obtained from package insert sheets supplied by the implant manufacturer, or other information obtained on the Internet. I personally will ask patients to stop smoking because smoking is associated with many of the complications of infection, wound breakdown and capsular contracture, and I feel that these reduce the chance of obtaining a nice cosmetic result. An individual’s choice to undergo a surgical procedure is based on the comparison of the risk to potential benefit. Although the majority of women do not experience the following complications you should understand the risks, potential complications and consequences of breast augmentation.
BLEEDING It is possible to experience a bleeding episode during or after surgery. Should post operative bleeding occur it may require a return to theatre. I will ask you not to take any aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications for ten days before surgery as this may increase the risk of bleeding.
INFECTION Infection is unusual after this type of surgery. It may appear in the immediate postoperative period or at any time following the insertion of a breast implant. Subacute or chronic infections may be difficult to diagnose. Should an infection occur, treatment including antibiotics, possible removal of the implant, or additional surgery may be necessary. If an infection does not respond to antibiotics the breast implant may have to be removed. After the infection is treated a new breast implant can usually be reinserted after a suitable interval. It is very rare that an infection would occur around an implant from a bacterial infection elsewhere in the body, however prophylactic antibiotics may be considered for subsequent dental or other surgical procedures.
CAPSULAR CONTRACTURE Scar tissue, which forms internally around the breast implant, can tighten and make the breast round, firm and possibly painful. Excessive firmness of the breasts can occur soon after surgery or years later. Although the occurrence of symptomatic capsular contracture is not predictable, it generally occurs in less then 20 per cent of patients. The incidence of symptomatic capsular contracture can be expected to increase over time. Capsular contracture may occur on one side, both sides or not at all. Treatment for capsular contracture may require surgery, implant replacement or implant removal.
CHANGE IN NIPPLE AND SKIN SENSATION Some change in nipple sensation is not unusual right after surgery. After several months most patients have normal sensation. Partial or permanent loss of nipple and skin sensation may occur occasionally.
SKIN SCARRING Excessive scarring is uncommon. In rare cases abnormal scars may result.
IMPLANTS Breast implants, similar to other medical devices, can fail. Implants can break or leak. When a saline filled implant deflates, its salt-water filling will be absorbed by the body. Damaged or broken implants cannot be repaired. Ruptured or deflated implants require replacement or removal. Breast implants cannot be expected to last forever, as they are synthetic.
IMPLANT EXTRUSION Lack of adequate tissue coverage or infection may result in exposure and extrusion of the implant. Skin breakdown has been reported with the use of steroid drugs or after radiation therapy to breast tissue. If tissue breakdown occurs and the implant becomes exposed, implant removal may be necessary. Smoking may interfere with the healing process.
MAMMOGRAPHY Breast implants may make mammography more difficult and may obscure the detection of breast cancer. Implant rupture can rarely occur from breast compression during mammography. Inform your mammography technician of the presence of breast implants so that appropriate mammogram studies may be obtained. Patients with capsular contracture may find mammogram techniques painful and the difficulty of breast imaging will increase with the extent of contracture. Ultrasound, specialised mammography and MRI studies may be of benefit to evaluate breast lumps and the condition of the implants. Because more X-ray views are necessary with specialised mammography techniques, women with breast implants will receive more radiation than women without implants who receive a normal examination. However, the benefit of the mammogram in finding cancer outweighs the risk of additional X-rays.
SKIN WRINKLING AND RIPPLING Visible and palpable wrinkling of implants can occur. Some wrinkling is normal and expected. This is often more pronounced in-patients who have saline filled implants or thin breast tissue.
PREGNANCY AND BREAST FEEDING Although many women with breast implants have successfully breast fed their babies, it is not known if there are increased risks in nursing for a woman with breast implants, or if the children of women with breast implants are more likely to have health problems. There is insufficient evidence regarding the absolute safety of breast implants in relation to fertility, pregnancy or breast-feeding. Some women with breast implants have reported health problems in their breast fed children. Only very limited research has been conducted in this area and at this time there is no scientific evidence that this is a problem.
IMPLANT DISPLACEMENT Displacement or migration of a breast implant may occur from its initial placement and can be accompanied by discomfort and/or distortion in breast shape. Difficult techniques of implant placement may increase the risk of displacement or migration. Additional surgery may be necessary to correct this problem.
SURGICAL ANAESTHESIA Both local and general anaesthesia involves risk. There is the possibility of complications, injury and even death from all forms of surgical anaesthesia or sedation.
CHEST WALL DEFORMITY Chest wall deformity has been reported secondary to the use of tissue expanders and breast implants. The consequences of chest wall deformity are of unknown significance. This is not a common problem with cosmetic augmentations.
UNUSUAL ACTIVITIES AND OCCUPATIONS Activities and occupations, which have the potential for trauma to the breast, could potentially break or damage breast implants or cause bleeding.
BREAST DISEASE Current medical information does not demonstrate an increased risk of breast cancer in women who have breast implant surgery for either cosmetic or reconstructive purposes. Breast disease can occur independently of breast implants. It is recommended that all women perform periodic self-examination of their breasts, have mammography according to our national guidelines and seek professional care should they notice a breast lump.
SEROMA Fluid may accumulate around the implant following surgery, trauma or vigorous exercise. Additional treatment may be necessary to drain fluid accumulation around breast implants.
LONG TERM RESULTS Subsequent alterations in breast shape may occur as the result of ageing, weight loss or gain, pregnancy or other circumstances not related to augmentation mammaplasty. Breast sagginess may normally occur.
IMMUNE SYSTEM DISEASES AND UNKNOWN RISKS Some women with breast implants have reported symptoms similar to those of known diseases of the immune system, such as systemic lupus erythematosis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and other arthritis-like conditions. A connection between implanted silicone and connective tissue disorders has been reported in the medical literature. To date there is no scientific evidence that women with either silicone gel filled or saline filled breast implants have an increased risk of these diseases, but the possibility cannot be excluded. If a causal relationship is established the theoretical risk of immune and unknown disorders may be low. The effects of breast implants in individuals with pre-existing connective tissue disorders is unknown.
UNSATISFACTORY RESULT Most patients are happy with the result obtained. Occasionally asymmetry in implant placement, breast shape and size may occur after surgery. Pain may persist following surgery. It may be necessary to perform additional surgery to improve your results.
ADDITIONAL SURGERY NECESSARY Should complications occur, additional surgery or other treatments might be necessary. Even though risks and complications occur infrequently, the risks cited are particularly associated with augmentation mammaplasty. Other complications and risks can occur but are even more uncommon. The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science, so always think carefully before committing yourself to an operation for purely cosmetic reasons.
Elaine Sassoon,
AB Hons (Harvard
University),
Appointments available at:
BUPA Hospital, Hill House Consulting Rooms, &
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital,
Contact Information
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