Breast implants can become dislodged or displaced from their surgical pocket. This can be the result of a trauma, surgery, radiation, or capsular contracture. Correction of the double-bubble deformity requires repositioning of the infra-mammary fold to its native location. Slightly decreasing the size of the mammary prosthesis can help with repositioning of the new breast implant pocket.
Mastopexy or breast lift is a common procedure. There are many patients who are born with breasts which have a downward positioned nipple areola complex and/or breast tissue which is located below the infra-mammary fold. Repositioning the nipple areola complex as well as the breast tissue can give the breast a more youthful appearance and return self-esteem back to high…
Mastopexy surgery is a surgery with a high satisfaction rate. In mastopexy surgery, the nipple areola complex is elevated to a higher position and the breast tissue that rests below the inframammary fold is re-positioned superiorly. This re-positioning makes the breast appear more youthful. Patients also report feeling more youthful with the new position of the breast. The satisfaction rate…
Patients with breast implants may encounter capsular contracture. Some patients may get capsular contracture repeatedly. In patients with capsular contracture we recommend removal of the mammary prosthesis. Often patients do not want do be completely done with their mammary prosthesis and we then encourage patients to have smaller mammary prosthesis replaced. It is often helpful to have the mammary prosthesis…
Lumpectomy defects often need to be closed carefully to minimize scar contracture following radiation therapy. The reduction or mastopexy pattern actually facilitates radiation delivery as it produces a more compact target for a directed radiation beam. In general, radiation begins approximately 6 weeks after lumpectomy unless chemotherapy is to be initiated. It is important for all wounds to be healed…
The same patterns that are used to improve the appearance of the breast can also be utilized to remove cancers in the breast. We encourage our patients to consume approximately 80-100 grams of protein per day for 4-6 weeks prior to surgery and for 4-6 weeks after surgery. The protein intake is important to facilitate wound healing. In general the…
Breast cancer can be treated with lumpectomy or mastectomy, depending upon the size of the cancer, location, size of the breast, and genetic positivity for cancer syndromes. Oncoplastic reconstruction of lumpectomy defects involves reconstructing the patients breast with their own breast tissue. Typically the breasts are made smaller and placed into a better position. This improved position often facilitates radiation…
The skin and fat from the lower abdomen can be used to reconstruct the breast following mastectomy. This type of reconstruction is called autologous breast reconstruction or flap reconstruction. The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap uses the skin and fat from the lower abdomen, and maintains a significant amount of abdominal wall musculature. The tissue that is transferred…
Patients who have breast implants schedule consultations wishing to undergo changes to their breast implants or mammary prosthesis. One common request is to downsize their breast implants. The first step is to determine their current bra size and to determine the volume of the mammary prosthesis that they have in place. Once these are determined, the patient and physician can…
It is common for many women to want to have their implants removed. Often when patients want to have their implants removed, the breasts are already ptotic. The breast can be lifted following the removal of the breast implant. The most commonly used lift pattern is called the Wise pattern or T-lift. The T-lift allows the nipple areola complex to…