Breast Implant Removal
Many patients suffer from BII(Breast Implant Illness) from their saline or silicone breast implants. Although the exact cause and the mechanism are unknown, these patients suffer from a similar and vague constellation of symptoms, often very severe with debilitating health consequences. They have been to many doctors, gone through numerous tests, tried various treatments and yet do not experience significant improvement. For these patients, the explantation surgery consisting of total capsulectomy and implant removal is a reasonable approach and oftentimes, the only effective treatment option. BII patients must undergo complete and total capsulectomy in order to obtain the definitive answer regarding the connection between their symptoms and implants. Hopefully, this will also lead to a cure. The technical difficulties associated with this surgery stem from the fact that the capsules surrounding the submuscular implants are always stuck to the underlying rib cage. Dr. Chun has safely performed over four thousand explant surgeries since 1995 without any rib cage complication.
The option of simultaneously performing mastopexy(Mastopexy Photos) is available. The implant removal surgery not only reduces the breast size but also leaves a significant amount of loose skin in most patients. Mastopexy “tightens” the skin and soft tissue envelope and reduces/repositions the areola(nipple is never detached). The anchor mastopexy, consisting of circular scar around the areola and vertical and horizontal scars, is typically used. For certain specific patients with tight and elastic skin combined with small implants may achieve a reasonable result with a more limited periareolar mastopexy with only the circular areolar scar.
Some patients choose to remove implants and capsules without simultaneously undergoing a mastopexy(Removal Only Photos). Three variables determine the resulting cosmetic outcome. First, how good is the breast skin quality? Will there be enough skin contraction to significantly remove the loose excess skin resulting from the implant removal? This is similar to how a women’s stomach skin might tighten after a pregnancy. Second, how big were the implants and how long were they in place? Larger implants that were in place for a long time will obviously stretch and damage the skin more with less likelihood of skin shrinkage. Third, how much natural breast tissue is present? More breast tissue results in better cosmetic outcome with less possibility of collapsed, sunken, and folded skin. Ultimately the decision to add the simultaneous mastopexy is up to each individual patient.
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