Thousands of women undergo breast enhancement surgery each year, and many of these patients will require revision surgery. The most common reason to have a breast implant revision surgery is to change the size of the implant – with most patients electing to go larger in size. William Bruno Plastic Surgery minimizes breast revisions for this reason by using 3D imaging before surgery so that patients can visualize the size of their implants before actually undergoing the procedure. Dr. Bruno welcomes patients from West Hollywood and Hollywood needing breast revision to his practice.
Another common reason to need a revision would be to treat a condition known as capsular contracture. This basically refers to hard scar tissue which can form around the breast implant causing the implant to become distorted and firm. This occurs in about 10% of all patients undergoing breast augmentation. It is known to occur more commonly in breast implants inserted through the areolar incision as well as implants placed above the muscle (subglandular). For this reason, Dr. Bruno prefers to insert implants under the muscle (subpectoral) and, most often, through the breast crease or inframammary incision. Some breast implants that have been placed in front of the pectoral muscle need to be converted to a subpectoral position to reduce the chance of recurrence of hard scar tissue. Furthermore, the texture of the breast implant may need to be changed to reduce the incidence of hard scar tissue formation. Breast revision surgery can also be diminished through the use of prophylactic vitamin E as well as other prescription medications. Finally, capsular contracture can also be prevented through the use of a special funnel which allows the breast implant to be inserted without contacting the surgeon’s gloves thereby minimizing any contamination of the implant. Besides size requests, capsular contracture is the main reason for needing a breast implant revision.
Breast implants can also rupture or deflate, which is another main reason patients may require breast revision surgery. Saline implants (water-filled) have a ten-year deflation rate of about 10%. Silicone (gel-filled) breast implants have a ten-year deflation rate of about 3-4%. Most patients choose silicone implants due to their more natural feel compared to saline breast implants. Dr. Bruno will explain the differences in greater detail at the time of your consultation in West Hollywood.
Some patients may want to downsize the size of their breast implants which may often need to be performed at the same time as a breast lift. This is done to remove any excess skin that may occur as a result of the smaller breast implant. This type of breast implant revision surgery can be complex, and Dr. Bruno can examine your skin to determine which type of breast lift is suited for you.
*Individual results may vary
Basically, most West Hollywood patients who have breast augmentation will likely undergo a second surgery in their lives, for a variety of reasons. You can, however, be lucky and go many years without requiring breast revision surgery. Dr. Bruno can explain these issues in greater detail during the consultation.
If you have had breast implant surgery in West Hollywood or Hollywood and are experiencing a problem or have a concern, William Bruno Plastic Surgery can help. Please contact Dr. Bruno at (310) 461-3855 for more information about breast revision surgery.