Breast lift

Breast uplift (Mastopexy)

 
Duration of operation: 1,5 to 2 hours
Anaesthetic: general anaesthetic
Minimum stay in Sopron (from a surgical point of view): 1-2 nights
Recommended stay: 1 week
Stitch removal: 3 weeks after surgery
 
The 'sew up' of the breasts means the restoration of dulled, hanging breasts to their original tightness and repositioning. Causes of the problem:
  • slackness of the connective tissues of skin (this is the primary reason)
  • the slackness of the gland mass and its regression (in a less degree)
Many think that the breast muscles are also responsible for the breast dullness, and they try to delay or stop it by doing gymnastics. However, this is wrong, because the breast muscle has nothing to do with this process.
 
Facts which influence the atony of the breasts:
  • pregnancy - breast feeding: Most frequently the atony occurs in such situations, since the skin expands during the pregnancy because of mechanical and hormonal effects, becomes thin and after breast feeding the adenoids tissue degenerates too much. It is important to know that rather the pregnancy, than the breast feeding is responsible for this, so it is meaningless to decline breast feeding, which is very important for the new born baby.
  • by ageing the breasts can be sagged
  • too big breasts
  • the structural weakness of the connective tissues of the skin
  • developmental deformity of the asymmetrical sagging breasts
  • rapid and drastic weight loss
The essence of operation: removal of the extended surplus skin, lifting the gland mass, making it conical - shaped and fixing it. The mass of the breast does not change, however if the breasts are disturbingly big or there is great difference between the two breasts, it is possible to reduce the size by removing a part of the gland mass. It occasionally occurs that the skin is slack, but barely has any formable, shaped gland mass. Since the 'sew up' itself would not give good results, the gland mass is supplemented with silicon implants, and the breast lift is done the same way. This means that the implantation and correction is carried out together. The breast lifting itself either lessening or increasing, ends up with similar scars on the breast skin. Generally the nipple area will be diminished and it will be rounder and have a sharper contour at the rims.
 
Fundamentally there are three operational types available and these are producing some different scars.
  • TRADITIONAL reversed T shape or anchor incision Around and under the nipple, short vertical and in the submammarial folds often longer horizontal scars are formed. Advantage: also applicable with larger breasts, mainly the wound healing is problem free, only thin scars.
    Disadvantage: relatively longer scar lines remain.
  • SHORT SCAR technique Only a vertical scar develops around and under the nipple. Advantage: Less scars, relatively hard-wearing form, less post sagging.
    Disadvantage: with the vertical scars, more frequent problems appear when the wound recovers. Temporarily the vertical scar is very wrinkled, after one or two months smoothening out. For several weeks the breast shape is not final.
  • PERIAREOLARIS technique around the nipple Scars only develop around the nipple area (areola). Advantage: the solution producing the least scars.
    Disadvantage: only rare, in the case of the so called 'tubularis' pipe form can be a good result achieved, otherwise the middle part of the breast would be very pressed down. The scar around the nipple area is over wrinkled, however will later smoothen out. The areola can expand disadvantageously later on.
Mostly, the operation is carried out in general anaesthesia, since it is more convenient and safer for the patient, than the local anaesthesia. The operation is preceded by necessary routine laboratory tests (blood-, urine, ECG), which can be completed in our clinic too. Over the age of 40, the patient also has to go for a mammography analysis.
 
The duration of operation is in average 1,5 to 3 hours. At the end of the operation a bandage and a tight bra is put on the operated areas. In case of a significant breast reduction a thin plastic tube is lead out from the wound to drain the wound fluid away. This drain tube is generally removed the day after the operation.
 
Resting: The patients are generally required to spend a night in our clinic and the next morning they can go home. It is practical to travel by car but the patient isn't yet allowed to drive by herself. The patient is allowed to drive 3-4 days after the operation at the earliest. On the 7th - 10th day after the operation, lighter physical, or intellectual, office, sitting work can be done. In the first two weeks the patient approximately has to come twice for a control and changing the bandage. The stitches are removed on the 12 - 14th day.
Pain: blunt, stretching type of pain (not unbearable and gradually decreasing in strength) in the first 3 - 4 days. Simple painkillers like Algopyrin, Demalgon might be of help. The sign of the wound healing is a slight itching feeling on the area of the scars after the 4th -5th day.
Cleaning: water mustn't reach the wound for four days. From the 5th day on the patient can take a shower (not bathing). This time the over flowing clear water, even shampoo, can not cause an inflammation on the operated area. After a short showering the breasts should be blotted with freshly ironed towels, but carefully not to rub the operated areas, than sterile gauze pads should be placed over the wounds and fixed with a bra. Two weeks after the operation the normal lifestyle can return: Work can be started, foreigners can return home. However, for several months intensive sports like, tennis, swimming, gymnastic, dancing, aerobic are not suggested. Sunbathing and solarium are not suggested for 4 - 5 weeks, than for half a year the use of a sun protective cream is necessary. It is important to wear a special bra for further 2 - 3 months, but only within daytime. The success of the operation could disadvantageously be influenced by different factors like, frequent, drastic weight change or smoking. In 95% of the cases the operation does not affect the breast feeding ability. However, after repeated pregnancies the breast can be dulled again, so a repeated corrective operation might be necessary.
 
Post operative complications:
  • secondaryost bleeding, inflammation (2-3%)
  • necroses of tissues (less than 1%)
  • partial or full necroses of the nipples (very rare, with another plastic surgery operation can be corrected)
  • chronic scar development (few percent, individual susceptibility factor influences to great extent, at worst a scar corrective operation is necessary.
  • sensation disturbances (temporary, occurring in the adjacent skin or areola, 4 - 5%)
The chances of these complications are somewhat higher in case of a reducing operation of big breast.