Last year in the United States, approximately 60,000 women chose to undergo a breast lift (or mastopexy), a surgery that lifts and reshapes breasts that have sagged due to pregnancy, significant weight change, or the natural aging process. . Several of these women, who wanted more breast volume, underwent augmentation with saline or silicone gel implants at the same time.
Augmentation mastopexy is a complex surgery that challenges even the most skilled and experienced plastic surgeon, who must deal with the opposing forces necessary to make the breasts fuller (by tightening the skin with implants) but firmer (by tightening the skin with implants). a breast lift).
To perform this surgery, plastic surgeons commonly draw a complex pattern on the breast, remove some of the excess skin, and then custom stitch this tissue together. They do the same on the other breast and then trim away the excess skin several times to provide maximum fit and ensure that the breasts remain symmetrical.
About six years ago, when I was performing an augmentation mastopexy, the proverbial light bulb went on: If a surgeon first tightens and tightens the breasts with surgical skin clips, perhaps he or she could identify the full amount of excess skin that will be removed and preview the final shape and symmetry of the breast before an incision is made. I found out that this is true.
Over a period of five years, I used this technique on 45 patients. The findings were published in the September 2009 issue of the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, in an article titled “Augmentation Mastopexy for Moderate-to-Severe Ptotic Breasts: Previewing Breast Shape and Symmetry with the Innovative and Versatile Technique stapling first”.
This new approach is especially useful for women with moderate to severe ptotic (sagging) breasts. Regardless of the size women desire, or how sagging or uneven, the surgeon can produce consistent and predictable results.
For me, the technique has taken the guesswork out of how much excess skin to remove. It allows the surgeon to obtain the maximum lift and create the best symmetry and shape in one step with the least amount of scarring. Also, it allows the surgeon to adjust any asymmetry of the breasts, which is common among women.
And because there is no longer the need for multiple skin cuts, operating time is shorter, patients receive less anesthesia, and their recovery is easier.
Using the adage of measuring twice, cutting once, it is very reassuring to see the end result of an Augmentation Mastopexy before making an incision.
