Fat transfer following breast reconstruction allows breast specialists and surgeons to correct any prior breast contouring irregularities that remain following breast reconstruction.
It’s routinely performed after the breast pulp is removed in a mastectomy and is typically performed using a temporary implant, called an expander, which is inflated in a delayed fashion to push out the breast skin after it has been depulped during cancer surgery.
Once inflated, the expanders are replaced for permanent, and much softer silicone implants. The limitations of breast implant reconstruction are that they can only replace the bulk of the lost volume. Residual contour irregularities related to variations in mastectomy dissection planes are not addressed by a round silicone implant.
This is where becomes important. Fat is used much like puddy, and used to correct residual contour irregularities. It can be harvested from anywhere on your body where you have undesirable fat deposits. Fat transfer following breast reconstruction is a great adjuvant to improving your overall breast andy body contour.
Breast reconstruction revision should be performed by a trained breast specialist that is also a plastic surgery breast revision specialist. Breast surgery revision presents a unique challenge for the surgeon as they are working on a canvas that is unnatural. The advantage of fat transfer following breast reconstruction is that it allows a plastic surgeon to fill in contour irregularities such as dents and divots that may be present.
The fat transfer gives the surgeon the flexibility to treat specific areas in the breast that is unachievable through the use of breast implants. This is an example of a fat transfer following breast reconstruction. She showed breast asymmetry after her original reconstruction surgery with implants and had various unevenness in each breast.
Both breasts also showed signs of deflation. In order to treat both breasts independently, Our Surgical Team needed to utilize a fat transfer procedure using a closed-loop, pure graft system with VASER liposuction. He also needed to replace the implants.
This resulted in the correction of the deflated look in both breasts. She also shows improvement in breast symmetry and overall breast appearance in terms of shape and fullness.
If you have gone through breast reconstruction and are unhappy with the results, contact board-certified Newport Beach plastic surgeon,Our Surgical Team MD FACS for a free consultation today. A fat transfer following a potential option for your revision surgery.
Breast reconstruction and fat transfer on 63-year-old female following bilateral breast reconstruction revision with implant replacement and fat grafting to improve breast shape.
