How is a Breast Enlargement Performed
A breast enlargement surgery is performed after a detailed consultation with a cosmetic surgeon. This consultation is followed by either a waiting period or immediate surgery depending upon the scheduling decisions and decisiveness of the patient. An individual breast enlargement surgery can be carried out in a variety of ways, but the most common steps involved are as follows:
Step one: The Anesthetic Phase and Operation Time Table.
Typically breast enlargement operations will be carried out with a general anesthetic applied to the patient. In some instances the surgeon will choose to use an intravenous sedation instead. This decision will be made after a discussion with the patient with the surgeon recommended their suggested best choice for the operation. While there is a chance the surgery can be performed as a day surgery most surgeons will want the patient to remain overnight for observation. The actual surgery may take one to three hours to complete. The duration of the procedure will vary based on the technique used, implant placement, anatomy of the patient, and the type of anesthetic that was used on the patient.
Step Two: Types of Incision Used
There are three primary types of incision that a cosmetic surgeon may utilize during the actual surgical phase of the operation. Typically these incisions are made in an inconspicuous area in an effort to minimize scarring. The patient will be able to discuss each of the incision options with their surgeon prior to the operation. There are several factors that determine where the incision will take place. These factors include the type of implant that will be used, the overall degree of augmentation desired, the patient’s anatomy, and the final factor is the actual desire of the patient. If more than one incision is possible in a given surgical instance the surgeon will often defer to the patient’s request for a certain location to be used so that the patient will have scars, if any, in the location they prefer.
The incision options include but are not limited to, transaxillary incision, inframammary incision, and periareolar incision. A transaxillary incision is a cut that is made in the armpit. It is more likely to cause visible scarring than the other two primary incision types. An inframammary incision is a small cut that is made underneath each breast. The periareolar incision is one that is made around the nipple. It causes minimal noticeable scarring when performed by an experienced and competent surgeon. However, there is a small possibility that nipple sensitivity may be adversely affected.
One the incision of choice has been made the implant will be inserted in one of two ways. The implant might be placed beneath the breast tissue in a manner known as sub-mammary or sub-glandular. The other method involves placing the implant underneath the pectoral muscle. The latter method is known as a sub-muscular implant. Once the implant has been placed and positioned properly the surgeon will close up the incisions with fine, typically dissolvable, stitches. Once the surgery is complete the patient’s breasts will be wrapped in a specialize dressing or support bra. The patient may also find that they need to have drainage tubes fitted for upward of forty-eight hours. This is to drain away any excess fluids.