Volume Change after Primary Breast Augmentation: Predicting and Defining a Significant Cause for Re-Operation

Hunter R Moyer and Jessica Yeager

Department of Plastic Surgery, Emory University, USA

^*Correspondance to: Hunter R Moyer 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.1445

Abstract

Introduction: Accepted re-operation rates after primary breast augmentation range between 20% to 30% with requests for volume change as a leading cause. This is the first report to characterize this patient population and define actual volume changes.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 812 patients that underwent primary augmentation mammaplasty at the authors’ previous surgery center over a fifteen year period. On average, patients were white females, 36 years old and with a BMI of 21.0 kg/m2. They were augmented primarily with Mentor Moderate Profile implants (average 318 cc) in the sub-muscular plane (51.9%). Charts were queried for patient demographics and implant characteristics. A Chi square test was used to compare binary data and a Student’s t-test and correlation coefficients were used to compare ordinal data.Results: Our mean follow-up was 2.2 years (range 0 to 13 years) with a rate at six years of 31.5%. The re-operation rate was 20.1% at three years and 5.7% of patients underwent volume change. Women requesting a volume change were four times more likely to have saline implants (p=0.001), thinner, and have larger implants placed at initial operation (p=0.012). Examining the 46 patients revised for volume dissatisfaction, the average change was 10.2% larger (35.0 cc, range: -235 cc to 170 cc). Women requesting larger implants had significantly more augmentations in the submuscular plane and those requesting smaller implants had significantly more augmentations in the sub-glandular plane (p=0.022). Time to re-operation, age, BMI, and type of fill material did not significantly influence a woman’s desire to be larger or smaller.Discussion: A majority of women re-operated on for volume discrepancy wished to be larger (66.0%). Patients dissatisfied with their volume had significantly more saline devices and larger implants at initial operation. Pocket location also significantly influences a patient’s perception of breast size.

Keywords

Size; Volume; Change; Augmentation; Breast

Cite the article

Moyer HR, Yeager J. Volume Change after Primary Breast Augmentation: Predicting and Defining a Significant Cause for Re-Operation. Clin Surg. 2017; 2: 1445.