J Korean Soc Aesthetic Plast Surg.  1999 Sep;5(2):305-312.

APPLICATION OF STANDARDIZED METHOD OF AUGMENTATION MAMMOPLASTY IN KOREAN WOMEN

• Bae YC
• Kim JH
• Jeon JY
• Hwang SM
• Kim HO

Abstract

Augmentation mammoplasty can be done in various manners according to the way of approach. the type of implant or implatation site depending on the status and demand of the patients or the operator's preferrence. In reviewing the many published reports about augmentation mammoplasty, they compare their surgical outcomes with mixed factors, so it is difficult to compare the results of mammoplasty simply with one factor under the same conditions. We think that analyzing the surgical results with one consistent method enables to compare and decide the influencing effect of one factor within it in augmentation mammoplasty. We could find the fact that the Korean women who wanted augmentation mammoplasty had same physical characteristics and demands, so developed the standardized method of augmentation mammoplasty among those debatable data for the purpose of increasing the patients' satisfaction, decreasing the complications, and shortening the operation time. The method we adopted was placing the implant through transaxillary subpectoral approach and using the endoscope auxiliarily in additional dissection and hemostasis. We employed saline-filled implants of round, textured type with the size ranging fro 125cc to 175cc and overinflated them by 10 to 30% beyond its original volume. After irrigation of the dissected pocket, we placed the suction drainage system into the subpectoral pocket. We educated the patients to massage their breasts right after removal of the drain. During the period of follow-up (from 6 months to 24 months), most of the patients were satisfied with their operative results. Though we experienced one case of capsular contracture, one case of malposition of the implant, and three cases of scar contracture on axillar incision site, as a whole, we could minimize the complications associated with augmentation mammoplasty. We present our postoperative results with the conclusion that our standardized method of augmentation mammoplasty can bring results of high satisfaction rate, minimal complication, predictability of postoperative results, shortening of operation time when applied consistently to the Korean patients whose physical characteristics are similar. We also hope that stanadardized method can be used to compare the influencing effect of many factors in the case of changing one factor within the standardized in the future follow up period.

MeSH Terms

Breast
Cicatrix
Contracture
Endoscopes
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Hemostasis
Hope
Humans
Mammaplasty*
Massage
Suction