Is TUBA Breast Augmentation with Breast Lift Safe?

Hi there-
As doing a breast lift on you will requires placing scars on them, and as your implants could be placed more carefully, accurately, and with less risk through these scars than through your belly button, I cannot think of a single advantage to you of having the implants placed through your belly button. Can it be done? Probably. Is it in your best interests? Absolutely not.

A TUBA procedure can be safely done by a surgeon skilled in this procedure. Unfortunately however safe does not mean risk-free. The TUBA procedure is not widely accepted because of some significant limitations of the procedure and potential outcome. In this procedure an incision is made at the top border of the belly button. A hollow tube is then pushed through the fat layer under the skin from the belly button up to the bottom of the breast. Through this tube a space is created either under the breast tissue itself or under the muscle layer. An inflatable temporary device attached to a long filling tube is then pushed through the hollow tube into the breast pocket. This device then expanded to help create the pocket. After the pocket is created an empty saline implant attached to a long fill tube is pushed through the hollow tube and placed in the pocket. The saline implant is then filled and the attached fill tube is then removed. The implant is designed so that it seals itself after the fill tube is removed from the valve in the implant. The TUBA procedure remains controversial and is not widely recommended. Although seems ideal to minimize the visible scarring associated with breast enhancement the trade-offs are significant. With this procedure only saline implants can be utilized. The pocket is created bluntly from a remote location limiting the precision of pocket dissection. The precise creation of the ideal pocket for each patient is the key to the creation of an ideal breast shape. Because of the limited precision in creation of the pocket the revision rate of this procedure is significantly higher than other procedures done under direct vision. When the pocket is created bluntly there is more chance for postoperative bleeding. Even a small amount of blood remaining in the pocket can cause future capsular contracture. Another potential problem with this procedure is scarring in the fat tissue through which the dissection tube is placed. This can leave a permanent mark extending from the belly button up to the breast. Most patients are selecting silicone implants and would prefer a technique which results in a more predictable outcome and less chance for need for future revisional surgery.

A breast augmentation and a breast lift are two different operations.  Putting in an implant (breast augmentation) will simply make the breast larger.  All you are doing is adding volume.  There is nothing about an implant that will actually lift the breast.  A breast lift requires incisions on the breast in order to tighten up the breast tissue as well as elevate the nipple/areola to a higher position and give a perkier look to the breast.  Because you will need incisions on the breast in order to do the breast lift, there is no advantage to be gained by putting in the implants through the belly button.  They can be put in through the same incisions used to do the breast lift.