What Is Breast Revision?
Breast augmentation is performed to achieve beautifully proportioned, fuller, and more youthful breasts. But certain complications can occur during the procedure, which may affect the final look of your breasts.
Why Breast Revision
The good news is that if your expectations from the breast augmentation procedure were unmet, you could opt for breast revision surgery. Dr. Feldmar explains that a breast revision involves removing and/or replacing the silicone or saline implants inserted in the breast pocket during the breast augmentation procedure. The surgeon may change the type or size of the implants to remedy the former complications and give you the beautiful appearance you had initially envisioned.
Some of the common errors corrected with breast revision surgery are:
- Wrong choice of implant size
- Capsular contracture
- Implant ripping
- Leakage or rupture of the implant
- Implant displacement
It is natural to feel confused about whether or not you should opt for a breast revision procedure to correct the shape and size of your new breasts. Dr. Feldmar explains that even when there is perfect planning of breast augmentation surgery, changes can occur over time.
Here are a few reasons that usually prompt patients to
decide in favor of surgery:
- There is a deflation of the saline implants, or an MRI or X-Ray indicates a shell leakage in a silicone implant
- If you feel the incision tissue tightening near the implant, also known as capsular contraction
- Shifting of breast implants from the original position
- If there is a change in the breast tissue due to weight gain/loss or skin stretching
- If you wish to alter the size of your breast/implant
Options in Breast Revision
Just like you had various choices of implant styles and sizes in your breast augmentation surgery, the same is true for a breast revision. Most patients choose either saline or silicone gel implants for their revision procedure.
Saline breast implant contains a sterile saline solution or salt water. When deflated due to leakage, it gets absorbed and is naturally removed from the body. Saline implants are of two kinds: Single lumen and Double lumen. The latest double-lumen saline implants come with internal shells designed to make them feel similar to silicone gel implants. These implants are also equipped to maintain a better shape and harbor less tissue tightening or capsular contracture risk.
The second choice of implants, i.e., silicone gel, contains a gel filled in before the surgery. Longer incisions might be required for these implants. If there is leakage, the body won’t absorb the gel in the implants. Hence, routine checkups are needed (once in a couple of years) to monitor the implant status.
some patients might wish to remove the implants altogether. Such candidates might be looking to achieve their former breast appearance. In such cases, the surgeon will remove the old implants by making an incision around the areola, beneath the breast, or through the original incision. This procedure involves the removal of extra scar tissue. The procedure is completed by inserting tiny, temporary tubes in the breast pockets (for draining excess liquid or blood) and applying bandages after placing sutures.
Recovery
Breast revision surgery is mostly performed under the effect of general anesthesia, just like breast augmentation surgery. The surgery’s length may vary from between 30 minutes to 2 hours. The time taken depends on the specific revision style needed for a patient.
After a breast revision procedure, a patient can typically expect to return to their work routine within one or two weeks. However, doctors recommend avoiding vigorous physical activities for at least three weeks. It takes about two weeks for the visible bruising to subside, whereas swelling starts to improve within three weeks.
Dr. Feldmar schedules a detailed assessment consultation with each breast revision candidate and helps them understand the procedure and its pros and cons before scheduling a date for the surgery. Proper instructions for surgery preparation are also provided to each potential patient.
