Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation surgery, also known as augmentation mammaplasty, is used to increase the volume of breasts because of a desired increase in size or to restore what has been lost for various reasons, including weight loss and pregnancy. It can also balance the size of your breasts with the rest of your figure. This is sometimes performed in conjunction with a breast lift (or mastopexy), which addresses drooping.

Revision Breast Augmentation

There are many reasons why a woman may choose to have their breast augmentation revised. Sometimes, a patient may be displeased with the implant placement or its size or pregnancy or weight loss has changed their satisfaction with the initial implant. In other cases, implants need to be replaced because of deflation or a revision needs to be done due to capsular contracture.

Breast Lift

A breast lift addresses sagging by removing excess skin and then reshaping and firming the breast. A breast lift alone does not significantly alter the size or roundness of the top of the breast, so it is sometimes combined with breast augmentation or breast reduction.

Breast Reduction

For some women, the size of their breasts can cause self-esteem and emotional well-being issues. This is true both for women who desire larger breasts or those who feel their current breast size is too large. Women with larger breasts may also experience physical limitations and pain. Reduction mammaplasty, also known as breast reduction, is a surgical procedure that can help improve the proportion of your breasts with the rest of your body. Breast reduction surgery involves the removal of excess breast fat, glandular tissue, and skin. The goal of this operation is to diminish the physical impact on your body from large breasts, such as indentations in the shoulder from your bra, neck pain, back pain, and discomfort while working out or performing everyday activities. Your insurance company will often cover the costs of this procedure. Please schedule an appointment to see if you meet the criteria for coverage.

Breast Reconstruction

Tissue Expander Implants

Saline or silicone implants are other options for restoring volume to a breast after mastectomy. After surgery, however, there is often not enough tissue and skin so an expander is inserted to stretch the skin so it can accommodate an implant. The expander, a balloon that is gradually filled with saline solution, can be placed at the time of the mastectomy or during another procedure. After the skin has stretched, the expander is removed and the implant is placed to recreate the breast.

TRAM Flap

This reconstruction option uses the transverse rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM) to reconstruct the breast. Reconstruction is performed using a section of skin, fat, and muscle transplanted from the lower abdomen. In a pedicle flap, the flap remains attached to the original blood supply and is taken from the lower half of the abdomen and slid up through a tunnel under the skin to the breast area. The skin and fat are then shaped into the breast mound. In a free TRAM flap procedure, the skin, fat, blood vessels and muscle are all cut free from the abdominal area and the flap is then attached to blood vessels in the area of the breast using microsurgery, sparing weakness to the abdominal wall.

Latissimus Flap

This technique is similar to the TRAM flap procedure but uses muscle, skin and underlying fatty tissue from the upper back to reconstruct the breast. This is a pedicle flap that is tunneled under the armpit region and used to reconstruct the breast mound. Most patients need a tissue expander and implant in conjunction with the flap to maintain the volume of the breast mound. This option adds more of the patient's own tissue, giving a more natural appearance to the breast.

DIEP Flap

Very similar to the free TRAM flap, this approach involved the movement of blood vessels and surrounding fat and skin in the patient's lower abdomen to the mastectomy site. Abdominal muscle is left intact after blood vessels are dissected. This technique minimizes weakness to the abdominal wall muscle.

Gynecomastia

Men with large breasts have a condition called gynecomastia, which can cause them to be self-conscious. Male breast reduction is one option to address it. Direct excision with or without liposuction may be used to remove excess fat, giving a more natural contour to the male chest.