What Is The Cause of Symmastia? What Can I Do Now? (photo)

asked 3 months ago by courtney2411
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 249 times
Tags: causes, options, symmastia

I went to several ps in person that confirmed that I do have synmastia. Right now it is mild-moderate but can get worse if not fixed. I'm debating weather to just get them removed instead of going through what I hear is a semi difficult surgery especially if you can not find a surgeon that performs synmastia repairs. What is the cause of synmastia exactly?

9 answers to What Is The Cause of Symmastia? What Can I Do Now? (photo)

Symmastia

Hello Courtney, You and your previous surgeon thought it was a good idea to choose that particular sized implant, which your surgeon realized later that it wasn't, unfortunately while you were on the operating room table. Repair is difficult but not impossible. The most reliable repair technique does NOT rely on internal sutures that break or pull through, but instead on recreating a new sub-pectoral pocket (aka: neo-submuscular pocket). The cornerstone to... more

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

drminniti.com

Correction of Medial Breast Implant Malposition?

Thank you for the question and pictures. Medial breast Implant malposition Is one of the potential implant malposition problems that can occur after breast augmentation surgery. It is potentially worse by use of larger implants in thin patients, and is a problem for implants over or under the muscle, though sub muscular implant placement allows the muscle to provide some softening of the transition to the cleavage area from the augmented breast mound. Correction involves use... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Symmastia correction

From the photographs this does indeed appear to be symmastia. Correction usually will involve reduction in the base diameter of the implants, replacement of the implant in a different plane, elevation of a capsular flap or medial acellular dermal allograft placement.

Glynn Bolitho, PhD, MD, FACS
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Symmastia

Symmastia is the result of the implants migrating medially and lifting the central chest skin. If the implants are subglandular, a new pocket under the muscle will be beneficial. Sometimes the pocket needs to be clsoed down medially and alloderm/strattice can be placed. the lateral pocket can be opened and a smaller implant placed. But your photos do not look like a true symmastia.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

What Is The Cause of Symmastia? What Can I Do Now? (photo)

Based only on the one photo posted ad no in person examination I have to agree with Dr Khoobehi. Is it or is it not a true SYMMASTIA? Seek additional in person evaluations before entertaining additional difficult surgery. Follow up please.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

You do not have symmastia

Your picture shows that you have mild pectus excavatum. This chest wall deformity has caused medial shift of the implants. This can be corrected by the implant repositioning ,but I would suggest to leave it alone. The depression in your mid chest will cause implant shift post revision. The other concern is that your implants are too big for your chest and breast, going smaller will help.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Symastia

Thank you for question and for the photo. In my practice I tell my patients that problems tend to occur when larger implants relative to the size of the chest and the breast are chosen. You can imagine that a smaller implant with a shorter base diameter would have less of a chance of this problem. Essentially a new pocket under the muscle needs to be made which would leave a wider space between the implants in order to avoid this occurring again. I would also recommend a smaller implant... more

Ralph R. Garramone, MD
Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon

Symmastia can be hard to correct

Having been referred 5 patients that I can think of, this is a difficult problem, but not as bad as you are led to believe. The usual problem is too much dissection medially moving the implants too close together. This combined with large implants are a set up. You don't say how soon after surgery this occurred. If I were treating you my plan would be smaller implants, more lateral dissection, a capsular flap to wall off the implants and the use of Strattice or... more

Steven Schuster, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.schusterplasticsurgery.com

Synmastia options

Synmastia is also known as 'uniboob', when the skin between the implants gets lifted off the chest wall so that the cleavage and definition between your breasts is lost looking like have just one continuous mass on your chest rather than two. In your picture it looks like you have two distinct breasts but very close together. Your options are to either have the implants removed for a few months and start over, or to have the implants placed further apart and the breast... more