Archive for the ‘Breast Surgery’ Category

Study Finds Ambulatory Surgery Centers Allow For Faster Breast Surgery

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

When compared to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) allow for faster, more efficient breast surgery procedures according to a study published by the American Journal of Surgery.

Most of the time savings possible in an ASC facility was attributable to decreased preoperative time, or time spent preparing for surgery, although the study noted that breast surgery patients spend an almost identical amount of time in an ASC as a hospital once they reach the operating room.

ASC vs. hospital

Unlike a hospital, an ASC has static, single surgeon per room outpatient breast surgery case assignments, as well as the ability to avoid unscheduled case additions, such as emergencies and add-ons.

An ambulatory surgery center is also smaller than a hospital, so there is less physical distance to move patients and equipment, and smaller, more consistent long-term staff typically allows an ASC to operate more smoothly than a hospital.

ASC before and after breast surgery

The type of anesthesia used during surgery can also influence how long before a breast surgery patient can leave the hospital or surgical facility after the surgical procedure, however this did not significantly affect overall start to finish time of surgery from the preparation stage to the patient discharge, or release, stage.

So, while the study certainly supports the common perception that outpatient surgery can be more efficiently performed in dedicated outpatient surgical centers outside of hospitals, it identifies that the time savings benefits of an ASC are only offered during the preoperative, or preparation, stage of a breast surgery procedure.

Outpatient breast surgery study details

Authors Drs. Terrence Trentman, Jeff Mueller, Richard Gray, Barbara Pockaj and Daniel Simula began this study in 2005, after their surgery practice ASC was closed.  All outpatient breast surgeries then needed to be alternatively performed in a hospital setting, which allowed researchers to compare the amount of time breast surgery patients spent in the hospital facility versus the ASC facility.

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Breast Revision Surgery Advised For Faulty French Implants

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons issued a guidance advising an estimated 50,000 British women to seek corrective surgery if their French-made Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP) breast implants are found to have ruptured.  The guidance was issued after an inquiry by the French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons revealed that PIP implants lack a protective barrier that makes them more prone to rupture, a potential health risk since the implants were filled with an unapproved silicone gel that had not undergone safety tests.   

Although ruptures are uncommon in the safe, FDA-approved breast implants used in the U.S., breast augmentation patients should be aware of the options that exist to correct ruptured breast implants and know how to detect a rupture in their breast implants if implant malfunction or trauma occurs.

Options for corrective surgery include:

  • Breast augmentation revision, or implant exchange
  • Breast explant surgery, or implant removal
  • Breast lift with breast implant exchange or removal

Many women who experience a rupture in one or both breast implants choose to undergo breast augmentation revision, or implant exchange, while others choose to simply undergo breast explant surgery, or implant removal, and do not have their implants replaced. 

A breast lift, or mastopexy, is typically recommended when implants are removed and not replaced in order to remove any stretched, excess skin left by the breast implants.  A breast lift may also be recommended in combination with breast augmentation revision, or implant exchange, if breasts have begun to sag since the initial breast augmentation surgery. 

In order to detect a rupture in silicone breast implants, an MRI must be performed.  However, it is obvious when saline breast implants have ruptured, as the implants deflate and experience noticeable volume loss.

If you discover your breast implants have ruptured, remain calm, as there is no immediate health risk.  Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon with significant breast revision surgery experience to help you decide whether breast augmentation revision or breast implant removal, with or without a breast lift, is the best option for you.

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Breastfeeding Patterns of Surgery Patients Studied in Brazil

Monday, June 14th, 2010

A study recently published online in the Jornal de Pediatria discusses the breastfeeding patterns of women who undergo breast augmentation and breast reduction surgery.

The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, meaning breast milk without additional food or water.  Given this recommendation and the various documented benefits of breastfeeding, the authors sought to first examine the habits of women who underwent cosmetic breast procedures and then compare it to women who had no surgery.

Of the 74 patients who were studied at a single hospital in Brazil, “the probability of an infant being on exclusive breastfeeding at the end of the first month of life was 29% in women with reduction surgery, 54% in those with augmentation surgery, and 80% in women who had no surgery.”

Responding to these statistics, the authors recommend that women undergoing cosmetic breast surgery be cared for by qualified professionals who are aware of potential lactation difficulties.  “These women should be encouraged to breastfeed, as many of them do not believe this is possible,” writes the author.

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Factors That Motivate Interest in Plastic Surgery: A Study of Young Women

Monday, May 24th, 2010

In the May 2010 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, you can read a study about factors correlated with interest in specific plastic surgery procedures. According to authors of the study, there are physical, social and psychological factors can predict interest in breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, liposuction, and abdominoplasty.

Of the 1862 respondents, those who were interested in rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, and liposuction were motivated by “complex psychological factors.”   Researchers found correlations with lifestyle factors such as divorce, history of teasing, education, self-image, body dysmorphic disorder, and the so-called Big-Five personality traits.

Survey questions about tummy tuck surgery revealed some unique findings.  Most participants who were interested in the procedure were interested in it exclusively. Having children and having a desire to repair the bodily changes occurring after childbirth were consistently correlated with interest for a tummy tuck.

Read the abstract of this study in the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

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ASAPS Releases 2009 Cosmetic Surgery Stats

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

2009 brought a two percent decrease in cosmetic procedures in the United States, according to the statistics just released by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

The society says that surgical procedures like abdominoplasty, liposuction and breast reduction decreased by 17 percent, while non-surgical cosmetic enhancements such as Juvederm or Botox jumped slightly, rising 0.6 percent.  “Plastic surgery is feeling the effects of the recession, just like many other sectors of the marketplace,” said ASAPS President Renato Saltz.

The ASAPS survey compiled responses from over 900 board certified physicians to analyze the procedure data and understand current trends.

Breast Augmentation Still on Top for 2009

For the second year in a row, Breast augmentation was the most frequently performed plastic surgery with 311,957 procedures performed. Surgeons have suggested several reasons for the procedure’s continuing success….

(more…)

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Do Breast Implants Require Replacement? – A Guest Post

Monday, February 15th, 2010

This blog post is by Michelle from Denver, Colorado. She had breast augmentation years ago and is now considering a revision surgery. This article includes her research and discussion on the topic.

Do breast implants really need to be replaced every ten years?

Breast implants do not have an expiration date and there is no requirement to have them replaced at ten years. However, according to the Institute of Medicine, the average life expectancy of a breast implant is 16 years. FDA studies of silicone breast implants suggest that most implants last 7-12 years. However, some breast implants clearly last much longer. So, there really is no definitive recommendation. Speaking for myself, I am at 25 years and counting. My breast implants have far outlasted my marriage!

According to an article by the FDA, “breast implants do not last forever. If you decide to get breast implants, you will likely need additional surgeries on your breasts over your lifetime due to rupture, other complications or unacceptable cosmetic outcomes.”  According to The National Research Center for Women & Families, “the likelihood of rupture increases every year.”

But as long as the breast implant is intact and you are not experiencing any complications, there is no real need to have a breast implant revision. After 25 years, I am not experiencing any major complications or significant positioning problems, even after two pregnancies and breastfeeding, however I am considering breast implant replacement. I want to be proactive and avoid any complications, but I also want to benefit from new technology and use this opportunity to achieve a new look…

(more…)

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Study Analyzes U.S. Breast Augmentation Trends

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

A March 2009 study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal analyzed some of the most popular trends in breast augmentation today. Researchers electronically surveyed plastic surgeons from all over the U.S. to learn what type of breast surgeries are most popular and get some of the details on how those operations are being carried out.

A good amount of the data pertained to surgeries performed in the South and Southwest, as the majority (40 percent) of the respondents were located there. Also, keep in mind that the data only represents a fraction of the surgeons out there – those that belong to the ASAPS.

How many breast augmentation procedures do you perform each year?

About half of the respondents said they perform over 50 breast augmentations each year. Almost all of the rest (37 percent) said they perform 20 – 50 each year.

How much time does a breast augmentation require?

80 percent of respondents said that operation time was between 45 and 90 minutes long.

What is the most common breast implant placement location?

63 percent of the implants are placed in a sub-muscular position. The decision to utilize this type of placement was based on appearance first (44 percent) and minimizing capsular contracture second (27 percent).

What’s the most common breast implant size?

81 percent of the respondents in the study reported an average size between 300 and 400 cc.

What’s the most common breast implant type?

Saline breast implants remain the most popular choice, despite a growing acceptance of silicone gel. 65 percent of the surgeons said they use saline in three quarters of the surgeries performed. 23 percent said they use them all of the time.

What is the most common breast augmentation incision site?

The breast crease, i.e. inframmary fold is the most common (64 percent) breast augmentation incision site, with the areola being the second most common.

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