Breast Augmentation

What is Breast Augmentation Surgery?

Breasts are structures that complete the physique of the woman’s body appearance. Breast volume has an important place in the measurements of shoulder width, chest circumference, waist and hip circumference. When the breast volume is small within these measurements, the body contour view remains incomplete. Breasts may be small due to different structural reasons. One may be smaller than the other, asymmetrical. One may be absent congenitally. Silicone breast prostheses are the most valid method today to make both breasts equal or increase their volume. Breast augmentation surgeries have been tried with the person’s own tissues, but have yielded limited results. For example, partial enlargement of the breasts can be achieved by taking fat tissue from the person. However, fat filling is not a completely permanent method. The main ingredient in breast prostheses is the silicone on the outer surface of the prosthesis. The filler in it may be different. Each prosthesis has its own advantages and disadvantages. These should be discussed in detail before the surgery and it should be decided together which one to use.

What is a silicone breast prosthesis (implant)?

Silicone-containing products are also used for other purposes in the cosmetic industry and medicine. Breast prostheses are balloon-like structures prepared in the shape of a breast. There are round and drop-shaped ones called anatomical. One of them is chosen according to the situation in the woman’s breast. The balloon part is made of silicone; The surface of the prosthesis is produced as rough in order to adapt to the tissues in the body. There may be a difference in the materials filling the balloon. Today, the most preferred breast prostheses filled with silicone gel. These are produced in different sizes and volumes, and the size of the prosthesis suitable for the patient is determined after a detailed consultation with the doctor. In addition, the ideal size can be found by applying trial prostheses (non-permanent) during the operation and the original prosthesis can be placed according to this size determination.

What you need to know before surgery

If the patient to whom the prosthesis will be placed is over 40 years old, radiological examinations called mammography and, if necessary, ultrasonography are performed before the operation. Every surgery has general or specific risks. Edema and pain in the breast area are the postoperative complaints. Bleeding and infection due to surgery are rare conditions. Some patients complain of increased or decreased sensitivity in the nipples or numbness around the incision after surgery. This is usually temporary. However, none of these have been scientifically proven. In breast augmentation surgery, there may be problems with the prosthesis, since the enlargement of the breast can be achieved with a foreign substance for the body. There may be hardening and narrowing due to the development of a membrane called a capsule around the prosthesis. The thin membrane does not cause any problems, if a medium-thickness membrane is formed, a slight hardness in the breasts and a distinctiveness at the base of the breast can be noticed. In rare cases, the body may not accept this foreign substance, it tries to form a thick membrane (capsule) around the prosthesis, compress it, trap it, and sometimes throw it out of the body. In case of thick capsule formation, hardness and sometimes asymmetry can be seen in the breasts.

In case of mild and moderate capsular contracture, external massage and, if necessary, additional surgery can be performed to remove the capsule around the prosthesis. When severe capsular contracture occurs, there is no other option but to remove the prosthesis. Although the outer surface of silicone prostheses is very thin, they are highly resistant to external impacts. Normal and moderate massages do not hurt. The person can lie face down 2-3 months after the surgery. Sometimes, leakage of prosthesis contents out of the balloon can be seen in the long term. If a gel-filled prosthesis is used, these substances leaking into the tissue spaces may cause mass formation. It is not yet known how soybean oil works. If a prosthesis filled with serum is used, the saline filled in the prosthesis may leak out of the prosthesis, into the tissue spaces, in this case the leaked serum is quickly absorbed by the tissues without causing any harm to the body. In fact, this substance, which can be given intravenously and used for other treatment purposes, has no harm. Prosthesis rupture is a rare condition, it can occur with jams, falls from height and penetrating injuries, as in in-vehicle traffic accidents. Mammography and surgical examination to be performed later on breasts with prosthesis do not pose a problem. The prosthesis is seen as a gap in mammography. The risk of developing cancer does not increase in a breast with a silicone breast prosthesis, it is the same as normal breast tissue. When such a situation occurs, surgery and other forms of treatment for cancer in the breast with prosthesis are also applied in accordance with the standards. Before deciding on breast augmentation surgery, you should clearly tell your doctor about your defect that bothers you and your expectation from the surgery, the prosthesis to be selected, the incision to place the prosthesis, the type of anesthesia, the early and You need to discuss the late results.

Operation

The operation is performed under general anesthesia in the operating room under hospital conditions. It takes an average of 2 hours. A 4-5 cm scar is opened for the prosthesis to be placed. This permission overlay can be one of the following:
Inframammary fold (Submammarian)
From the side of the nipple (Cirkumareolar)
Armpits (alcilar).
Recently, prosthesis can be placed endoscopically by entering around the navel. However, this method has not yet been widely accepted. Wherever the entry is, a trace will remain. These are traces that are obvious at first, but become indistinct over time. Depending on the patient’s breast structure, the prosthesis can be placed behind the breast tissue or behind the pectoral muscle. Each application has its advantages and disadvantages, and this detail should be evaluated before surgery.

Postoperative

Post-surgery is usually comfortable. The pain is not too much. If the prosthesis is placed behind the chest muscle, there may be limitation in arm movements for a few days. A bra or wrap is applied to the breast after the surgery. If there are non-dissolving stitches, they can be removed after 12-15 days. There may be swelling in the early period, numbness in the nipple and purplish discoloration on the skin. These disappear on their own in a short time. The patient can return to work in 4-5 days. After 3-4 weeks, the prosthesis settles into place and the breast regains its normal function. The patient is advised to stay away from heavy sports (which require jumping-running) for 2 months. Breast augmentation surgery with prosthesis is an operation that gives good and permanent results in general, improves the mental health and psychosocial structure of the person, and makes them more connected to life.

Today, the most commonly used are round prostheses filled with silicone gel and textured. Prosthesis selection and placement may vary depending on the patient, the condition of the breast and the surgeon’s preference.