Breast Implants: Q&A

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How Safe Are Breast Implants Inserted Through the Belly Button?

Compared to the traditional surgical approach, what are the benefits and the possible adverse effects of implants through the belly button?

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17 Doctor Answers | Asked by anon

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Transumbilical bresat augmentation

TUBA or transumbilical breast augmentation were very popular with saline implants because the implants can be filled in the pocket. You can;t do that with silicone implants. I was never a big fan, because pocket dissection is done blindly and bluntly and if you got bleeding you had to convert to a more traditional approach.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Transumbilical breast augmentation

I would add to the consensus of answers only that after many years of experience, the best incision approach for breast augmentation (most advantages, least disadvantages short term and long term) has been the inframammary crease incision. For saline-filled implants (the only ones feasible with TUBA), this incision can be 2 cm, the same as that used in the periumbilical or other laparoscopic procedures. Incisions for current silicone-gel filled incisions need to be 3 1/2 to 4 cm. more

Breast Implants through the Belly Button

Disadvantages: voids implant warranty, limits choice to saline, may produce inframammary fold asymmetry

How Safe Are Breast Implants Inserted Thru the Belly Button?Answer:

I would pass on this technique and I am a surgeon who feels very comfortable going thru the underarm and using the endoscope! Too many negatives and not enough positives. I'm not sure that it invalidates the warranty any longer., although I know it used to. And it's even a worse idea when done blindly without the endoscope. I have seen too many "one above and one below" results! Too many advantages with other methods..

Transumbilical augmentation (TUBA) a bad idea

I concur with the other physicians that answered this question. In addition, I have recently seen a patient in consultation that developed swelling of the abdominal wall between the two tunnels that were used to insert her implants. I would not recommend this operation. The implants are safe and are the standard saline implants used by the majority of plastic surgeons.

Breast augmentation through the belly button

The TUBA (transumbilical breast augmentation) is offered by only a handful of reputable plastic surgeons. It is a markeing gimmick and for many reasons not a sound surgical operation. The surgeon is limited to using saline implants and no revisional operations can be done through the navel.The surgeon cannot handle bleeding complications and it is more difficult to control the inframammary fold. I would not recommend this operation to any of my freinds or family members!

How Safe Are Breast Implants Inserted Through the Belly Button?

Bad idea and a bad operation. Just read all the expert's postings to see the majority are against this operation. In fact the implant companies would not offer the warranty initially.

TUBA Advantages and Disadvantages

The main advantage of TUBA is no scars on the breast. The disadvantages are: Can only use saline implants Less control over implant position Inability to identify and control any bleeding

What do you mean by safe?

The TUBA is not accepted by the body of the plastic surgeons because of it's short comings as noted by other surgeons. TUBA is a good marketing tool but the surgeon has minimal control on the implant position,breast shape or infra mammary fold position.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Implants through the Belly Button (TUBA)?

Thank you for the question. I do not think that this is a good operation for the reasons my colleagues have discussed below. I see, in my practice, more patients for revisionary surgery after the TUBA procedure (taking into account the relative numbers of procedures done through different approaches) then after breast augmentation procedures done through the other approaches available. This is not surprising given that the implants are inserted from a distance often by non-plastic... more

TUBA augmentation

I think there is good reasons that most plastic surgeons will not use the TUBA technique. It can lead to deformities of the upper abdomen in thin patients and has less control for correct positioning or taking care of bleeding. The implant manufacturer does not recommend it also. Other techniques can give very minimal scar with the saline filled implant and with less risk of problems. If you see a surgeon for the TUBA technique at least make sure that he is Certified... more

Gary Hall, MD

8 reviews

Kansas City Plastic Surgeon

www.hallmd.com

Breat Implants through the belly button

I think they are generally safe, but the problem is that it will likely invalidate the guaranteed the implant manufacturer has on the life or longevity of the implant. Normally is the implant leaks, the company will replace the implant, but it is my understanding that if it is placed through the belly button, due to the way it has to be pushed through a long metal tube, that the shell of the implant can be damaged and therefore is not guaranteed.

Facts speak for themselves

Even in the age where surgeons invent procedures to try to differentiate themselves from one another, almost no one is doing TUBA procedures. That should tell you that the approach has significant flaws.

TUBA breast augment

I am in agreement with the other plastic surgeons who do not perform the TUBA. I will not do it because of increased risk of uncontrolled bleeding, inability to revise the result via the same incision, risk of umbilical (rather than breast) scarring which the patient may find objectionable, and also scarring in the "virgin" abdomen, which has not undergone prior surgery. I see absolutely no reason to use this method. No surgery is scarless. If a patient is that obsessed with scarring that... more

Breast augmentation, TUBA

Most of us who do a lot of breast augmentation do not do the TUBA procedure. That in itself should answer most of your questions. A breast enlargement procedure is much more than just making a space and pushing in an implant. For most patients the PA or the armpit scars are hard to see after just a few months and allow more options and much more precision in implant placement.

TUBA or not?

Personally, I think the TUBA is a crazy idea. There is no control of bleeding, you can only do saline, no revisions can be done through the umbilicus, blood around an implant increases the risk of capsular contracture, the pocket dissection cannot possibly be as precise as from an incision closer to the breast. Your choice, but it really makes no sense to me.

Tuba or belly button breast augmentation

Placement of implants: 1. Tuba 2. Transaxillary 3. Periareola 4. inframammary all techniques are equally safe. Healing should be the same. Discomfort , outcome of shape, contours. Potential complications.. only saline implants can be placed through the belly button. Excellent choice for a young patient who doesn t want any scars on the breasts and can’t afford a silicone implant