Human Surgeryes: Mammoplasty or mammaplasty Surgery

What is it?

Breast augmentation, technically known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of a woman's breast for a number of reasons:

To enhance the body contour of a woman who, for personal reasons, feels her breast size is too small.
To restore breast volume lost due to weight loss or following pregnancy
To achieve better symmetry when breasts are moderately disproportionate in size and shape
To improve the shape of breasts that are sagging or have lost firmness, often used with a breast lift procedure
To provide the foundation of a breast contour when a breast has been removed or disfigured by surgery to treat breast cancer
To improve breast appearance or create the appearance of a breast that is missing or disfigured due to trauma, heredity, or congenital abnormalities
By inserting an implant behind each breast, surgeons are able to increase a woman's bustline by one or more bra cup sizes. If you're considering breast augmentation, this will give you a basic understanding of the procedure—when it can help, how it's performed, and what results you can expect. It can't answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on your individual circumstances.
Breast augmentation can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.

Before

After

Young adults or middle aged people opt for it entirely for cosmetic reasons.

Performed under general anaesthesia, but can be done under local anaesthesia also.

The aim of surgery is to make the breast look bigger in size by mammary prosthesis (artificial material made of silicone) Alternatively natural and own body tissues are used. In the later the tissues have to be obtained form other sites like chest wall, back or abdomen.

Scars are either in the darker area of areola or below the breast fold and almost invisible.

Hospitalization generally is for a day. Mammoplasty does not interfere with milk secretion as the material is placed under the breast tissue.

Pain is minimal after surgery.
Heaviness is expected till the patient gets used to the same. Occasionally fluid discharge may be noticed and one should not get alarmed about it. The silicone might become slightly hard over a period of years in some but usually mimics the feel of normal breast. Among the silicone prosthesis there are two varieties -one gel filled and the other saline filled- the later being slightly superior!
Fever or discharge or gaping of the wound, if any, should be immediately brought to the notice of the surgeon. Antibiotics or an occasional suture to the gape may be rarely required. Complete extrusion or removal is rare in a case of gross infection.

There is mention of increase incidence of carcinoma in the media and it is usually an apprehension rather than of any statistical significance.

REDUCTION MAMMOPLASTY

Before

After

Generally the patients are young adults or middle aged. This is due to abnormal growth of breast tissue. This causes not only physical embarrassment and discomfort, but can also cause difficulty in breathing due to heaviness. Cosmetic unacceptability is the usual presentation. This can either be on one side or both. Surgery is done under general anaesthesia. Excess breast tissue is removed leaving only the desired amount. Scars are in the lower part of breast in the breast folds and become almost invisible over a period of time. Hospitalisation is for two to three days. There will be a suction drain for a day. There may be occasional fluid collection which needs aspiration with a syringe or it might get absorbed on its own. Pain is minimal to moderate after surgery. Small sized bras are to be kept ready to wear immediately after surgery. Sensations might appear to be diminished for a few weeks.

Breast feeding is possible even after surgery.

MASTOPEXY

Before

After

Most patients are middle aged group. Sagging of breast due to loss of elasticity is the usual cause.
This is done under general anaesthesia.
Hospitalisation is usually for two days.
Scars will be in the lower part of breast and the surgical principle is to fix the breast tissue, nipple and areola at a higher level for the breast to appear pointing forwards and upwards.

May be performed more than once after a few years if the individual so desires

GYNACOMASTIA

Before

After

Large looking breasts among males that cause embarrassment are removed by tiny incisions. Moderate gynacomastia can also be treated by liposuction.

After Your Surgery

You're likely to feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery, but you'll be up and around in 24 to 48 hours. Most of your discomfort can be controlled by medication prescribed by your doctor.

Within several days, the gauze dressings, if you have them, will be removed, and you may be given a surgical bra. You should wear it as directed by your surgeon. You may also experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about two weeks, but this will subside as bruising fades.

Your stitches will come out in a week to 10 days, but the swelling in your breasts may take three to five weeks to disappear.

The Operation

In your initial consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your health and explain which surgical techniques are most appropriate for you, based on the condition of your breasts and skin tone. If your breasts are sagging, your doctor may also recommend a breast lift.

Be sure to discuss your expectations frankly with your surgeon. He or she should be equally frank with you, describing your alternatives and the risks and limitations of each. You may want to ask your surgeon for a copy of the manufacturer's insert that comes with the implant he or she will use—just so you are fully informed about it. And, be sure to tell your surgeon if you smoke, and if you're taking any medications, vitamins, or other drugs.

Your surgeon should also explain the type of anesthesia to be used, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the costs involved. Because most insurance companies do not consider breast augmentation to be medically necessary, carriers generally do not cover the cost of this procedure.

Your surgeon will give you instructions to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. A mammogram may be recommended prior to your procedure to ensure breast health and serve as a baseline for future comparison.

In addition to explaining your surgical procedure, you plastic surgeon will discuss anesthesia, the recovery process and your obligations as a patient. You will also discuss where your procedure will be performed. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications of your surgery. There may be a waiting period of several days to weeks from the time of your consent to the day of surgery.

While making preparations, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery and to help you out for a few days, if needed.

Risks

Breast augmentation is relatively straightforward. But as with any operation, there are risks associated with surgery and specific complications associated with this procedure.

The most common problem, capsular contracture, occurs if the scar or capsule around the implant begins to tighten. This squeezing of the soft implant can cause the breast to feel hard. Capsular contracture can be treated in several ways, and sometimes requires either removal or "scoring" of the scar tissue, or perhaps removal or replacement of the implant.

As with any surgical procedure, excessive bleeding following the operation may cause some swelling and pain. If excessive bleeding continues, another operation may be needed to control the bleeding and remove the accumulated blood.

A small percentage of women develop an infection around an implant. This may occur at any time, but is most often seen within a week after surgery. In some cases, the implant may need to be removed for several months until the infection clears. A new implant can then be inserted.

Some women report that their nipples become oversensitive, undersensitive, or even numb. You may also notice small patches of numbness near your incisions. These symptoms usually disappear within time, but may be permanent in some patients.

Breast implants do not generally interfere with a woman's ability to breast feed, or present a health hazard during pregnancy to a woman or her baby. However, pregnancy and the associated changes to a woman's body may alter the results of any breast surgery, including surgery to place breast implants. Therefore, it is important to discuss the options of breast implant surgery with your plastic surgeon if you are interested in becoming pregnant and breast feeding in the future.

Occasionally, breast implants may break or leak. Rupture can occur as a result of injury or even from the normal compression and movement of your breast and implant, causing the man-made shell to leak.

If a saline-filled implant breaks, the implant will deflate in a few hours and the salt water will be absorbed and naturally expelled by the body.
If a silicone-gel filled implant leak or break, the elastic silicone gel may remain within the implant shell, or may escape into the breast implant pocket (a capsule of tissue that surrounds the implant). A leaking implant filled with silicone gel may not deflate and may not be noticeable except through imaging techniques such as an MRI. For this reason, a woman with silicone breast implants is advised to visit her plastic surgeon annually to assess that her implants are functioning well. An ultrasound exam or MRI screening can assess the condition of breast implants; after 3 years it is recommended that all silicone implants be properly screened.

Following the placement of breast implants mammography is technically more difficult. Obtaining the best possible results requires specialized techniques and additional views. You must be candid about your implants when undergoing any diagnostic breast exam. In many cases, an ultrasound exam or MRI may be recommended in addition to mammography.

While the majority of women do not experience these complications, you should discuss each of them with your physician to make sure you understand the risks and consequences of breast augmentation.