Case-8903 Gallery

Before and after bilateral explantation and auto-augmentation mastopexy in a 46-year-old woman with postpartum breast volume loss and droop, and one deflated saline breast implant. Her intact breast implant showed a “Snoopy deformity” or “waterfall deformity” due to its under-the-muscle position, where the breast tissue drooped off an unnaturally high implant on the chest wall.

Her right submuscular implant had spontaneously deflated recently (likely due to right hand dominance and chronic muscle contraction over the implant) – and she realized she was “over” her breast implants. Her goal was to have a more natural and lifted shape, but not to have any new implants. She was delighted to learn about the auto-augmentation technique of breast lift

At her preoperative visit, her left breast implant was electively deflated to allow for maximal skin contraction and the very best symmetry at the time of her implant shell removal and breast lift. Since her old armpit (transaxillary) scar could not be reused to remove her implant shells, a new incision was made in her inframammary fold to remove the breast implant shells. The old breast implants were removed, and her pectoralis major muscles were resutured to her ribs, reconstructing her muscular anatomy.

An intact blood supply, nerve supply and milk duct supply was maintained to her nipple and an internal rearrangement was performed to move her breast tissue up higher on her chest, in a pocket created on top of the muscle. This is called the “auto-augmentation mastopexy technique”. The final scars are the same for a standard breast lift.

Follow up photos are shown 4 months after surgery, with nicely maturing scars and a normal looking, natural, petite breast shape – termed “fashion boobs” or “ballerina breasts”!