Breast Implant Surgery (Augmentation Mammoplasty)

In Dr. Mondolfi�s opinion, the goal of breast enhancement surgery is to create breasts that look as natural as possible, proportional in size and shape to the patient�s frame. This is most commonly achieved by the use of breast prostheses, and in very selected patients by the grafting of the person�s own fat.

There are multiple factors that guide the decision as to which method would be more appropriate for any given individual, the most obvious being:

• the patients age, and childbearing status.
• the volume of existing breast tissue as well as the amount of laxity or drooping they exhibit.
• any deviation of shape such as very asymmetrical, constricted or high riding breasts.
• and lastly, the patient�s goals.

Dr. Mondolfi will listen to your concerns, and expectations. Then, after an evaluation of your body shape, after a comprehensive examination of your breasts, of your chest wall, musculature, and of your skin, he will propose the method of breast enhancement he feels best suited in your case. If a prosthetic enhancement is indicated, he will discuss the use of saline filled versus silicone gel filled devices, he will explain why in your case the devices should be placed in front of or behind the pectoral muscles and lastly go over the use of sub-mammary, areolar, axillary or umbilical incisions. Then, and only then you will jointly choose the procedure to use.

For information regarding breast implant safety go to: ( button of breast safety, etc) www.breastimplantsafety.org

Patients who seek breast enhancement will typically present one of the following three scenarios:

• small, underdeveloped breasts with little or no drooping.
• breasts that have lost volume, deflated and developed moderate or exaggerated significant drooping
• breasts that look constricted, have an unusual shape or
• position, are very asymmetrical or exhibit variations in the shape of the chest wall.

The management of each of these cases is vastly different and representative cases are shown.

The first scenario, describes patients who have scarce breast tissue, or patients who have lost breast volume following pregnancy but who have good skin tone and the nipple/areola complexes show minimal descent. Patients in this category may be candidates for Saline filled or Silicone Gel filled devices, the implants may be placed in front of or behind the muscle and may elect to use infra-mammary incisions (in the breast fold), axillary incisions or incisions below the areola. A very small and selected group of patients, may choose to have a very subtle enhancement using autologous fat grafts. (using their own body fat to modestly increase fullness of the breasts.)