Synmastia after Breast Augmentation

Synmastia after Breast Augmentation

Synmastia, also known as symmastia, is rare complication that may occur following a breast augmentation cosmetic surgery. Sometimes the surgeon may be trying to enhance the cleavage, and in the process the breast implants get placed too much towards the middle of the chest. The condition may also occur due to the quality of the patient’s breast tissue and the size of the implants.

Due to synmastia complication, the patient may experience undue pulling on the midline tissues. The breasts tend to come together as the implant pulls the skin and tissue off the breast bone. The result is that the cleavage is lost, causing synmastia, which essentially means ‘one breast’. Only a highly skilled and experienced plastic surgeon should perform synmastia repair surgery. Dr. Hisham Seify is a board certified plastic surgeon providing this procedure to patients in Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and nearby locations.

Need for Corrective Surgery

Some patients make the mistake of delaying synmastia corrective plastic surgery. This can have an adverse impact on the final results of the procedure. In most cases, the synmastia condition may occur at the time of primary breast augmentation surgery, shortly after or within a few months of the procedure. Best results can be expected when the repair is performed as soon as synmastia occurs.

Timely surgery will help in preventing stretching of the breast skin and reduce the nipple distortion or asymmetry that could occur if the condition is allowed to last for long. If abnormal breast skin stretching and nipple deviations take place due to synmastia complication, the treatment will become more difficult. The cosmetic surgeon may have to perform multiple revision procedures to correct the condition in some cases. Patients in Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and surrounding areas can receive this procedure from Dr. Seify.

Procedure

Synmastia condition may occur in submuscular, subglandular, subfascial, or subpectoral implant placements. The condition may range from pushed together cleavage appearance to the total joining of the breasts into a single structure. A variety of surgical approaches may be used to reverse the condition of synmastia. Some surgeons may attempt external suturing through the skin, but this is a poorly designed procedure that can leave significant scarring and the problem may not be corrected permanently.

A preferable choice is implant revision surgery in which the breast pockets will be reinforced from within. The surgeon will roll the scar tissue into the inner aspect of the implant pocket. This will provide strength and allow the placement of internal sutures to hold the tissue and skin to the breast bone. Once the breast pockets are fixed, the surgeon can re-insert the implants without recurrence.

Each patient’s condition is unique, and will require the application of different techniques to match with the condition. The surgeon will usually prescribe a T-front bra to help maintain the space between the breasts during the recovery period. The patient should follow the surgeon’s instructions during the recovery period to speed up the healing process and ensure a complete recovery.