Breast Implant Revision: Q&A

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Internal Stitches with a Re Augmentation?

I had a re aug today after 12 years from a 260cc to 560cc. In that time I have breast fed two children. Whilst I was still groggy from the op my surgeon mentioned that he used internal stitches at the sides, what could be the reason for this? I had noticed that my previous implants used to hang right to the sides whilst I was laying on my back Many thanks

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by Toulouse in Essex

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Implants and internal stitches

Internal stitiches can be placed to secure areas of the implant pocket that may have overstretched. It sounds like this was done laterally to prevent implant displacement.

Steven Wallach, MD

13 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Internal stitches for repositioning of breast implants

If the implants have drifted too far to the sides, it is necessary to adjust the pocket, so that the new implants won't do the same thing. One common technique is to close off the space by placing sutures that bring the front and back of the capsule together. This is sometimes referred to as capsulorrhaphy, which simply means that the surgeon is modifying the capsule around the implant.

Breast implants drift towards armpits

The probable reason for sutures used internally on the sides (armpit side) is to prevent excessive drifting of the implants when a person is lying on their back. It is interesting that you went to such a large size and still needed that type of suturing. Usually a larger implant would be wider and need more room to be positioned, both towards the breast bone and towards the armpits.

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Internal stitches

These stitches are to keep the implants centered behind your nipple instead of falling to the sides

Internal sutures

By your description, your implant pockets were too lateral, causing your implants to sit too far to the sides of your chest. This is fixed by placing internal capsulorraphy sutures.

Why internal stitches?

If your original implants fell too far to the sides, your pockets had become too large and the internal sutures were to make the outside part of the pocket smaller (capsulorrhaphy). Sometimes the larger implants you had placed will remedy this by themselves, but only if they are significantly wider. It sounds like this was not the case and the stitches were necessary.

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Breast Implant Revision: Q&A